This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
On July 13, 2020, Tanzania and Burundi reached an agreement to repatriate Burundian refugees still living in camps in northwestern Tanzania, following a call by newly elected Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
According to statistics by Tanzania's Home Affairs Ministry, there are still 136,221 Burundians at refugee camps in the country, with only 10,108 expressing a desire for repatriation.
The ministry's spokesperson, Christina Mwangosi, confirmed that all procedures for repatriation are in place and the ministry will coordinate the exercise jointly with officials from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
President Ndayishimiye had recently called for the unconditional return of Burundian refugees living in Tanzania, citing the peaceful election and transition in Burundi as a reason for their return.
"We have just honoured ourselves by showing the world that we no longer need to ignore lessons of democracy. It is rather our turn to teach others," he said in reference to the peaceful election and transition despite the sudden death of then outgoing President Pierre Nkurunziza before the handover.
President Ndayishimiye also appealed to all Burundians who love democracy but are living in exile in Tanzania to return home and enjoy his victory and that of the country, and as promised during the electoral campaign, that he would serve all without discrimination.
He called on all Burundians to preserve peace and security.
The last batch of Burundian refugees left the country in October 2019. Burundians make up the majority of the 280,000 refugees registered in Tanzania at the end of 2018, according to the UNHCR.
Edward Ogolla of the UN agency said that up to now, about 85,396 Burundian refugees have returned home since September 2017.
Hundreds of Burundians fled the country or were killed in clashes during the bloody turmoil in 2015 when then-president Pierre Nkurunziza ran for a disputed third term.
