RUBAVU, Rwanda — On Saturday, May 17, 2025, 360 Rwandan refugees who had fled to eastern Congo following the 1994 genocide were repatriated to Rwanda under a United Nations-led initiative. The operation was facilitated by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in collaboration with Save the Children and local authorities, and is part of a broader plan to repatriate approximately 2,000 individuals .
The returnees, predominantly women and children, were transported across the border in buses provided by the Rwandan government.
Upon arrival, they were welcomed by Rwandan officials and taken to a transit center where they will receive emergency assistance and support for reintegration .
Prosper Mulindwa, the mayor of Rubavu, addressed the returnees at the border, stating, “We are happy to welcome our compatriots. They are a valuable workforce for the country’s development” .
Among the returnees was Nyirakajumba Twizere, a 29-year-old who was born in Congo and had never seen Rwanda. “I never thought this day would come,” he said. “I’m finally going back to the land of my ancestors” .
This repatriation effort is part of a longstanding tripartite agreement between Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the UNHCR, under which over 101,000 refugees have returned to Rwanda, including 1,500 in 2025 .
The return of these refugees occurs amid ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, where the resurgence of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group has escalated tensions and worsened an already acute humanitarian crisis .
Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe emphasized the need for continued cooperation, stating on social media,
“360 refugees, who were previously held hostages by the FDLR genocidal force (supported by the Congolese national army), were safely repatriated to Rwanda. The DRC government and its FDLR allies need to ensure that all remaining Rwandan refugees in DRC are repatriated to their homeland” .
The UNHCR has reiterated that all refugee returns must be conducted safely, voluntarily, and with dignity, in accordance with international law.
