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DRC and Tanzania sign roadmap for repatriation of 87,000 refugees
Representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and the UNHCR have signed a roadmap in Lubumbashi to organize the voluntary repatriation of approximately 87,000 Congolese refugees currently residing in Tanzania.
The agreement, reached during the 8th tripartite meeting, emphasizes that all returns must be voluntary, informed, and conducted under safe conditions. The roadmap aims to ensure refugees can return to identified areas with access to necessary reintegration services, including education for children in camps like Nyarugusu.
However, significant security concerns persist in eastern DRC. The UNHCR has cautioned against encouraging returns to volatile regions such as Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. Human Rights Watch has previously documented instances of arbitrary detentions and forced recruitment by armed groups in these areas. While the Congolese government expresses commitment to peace processes to facilitate safe returns, the UNHCR noted that funds must still be mobilized to implement the repatriation and resettlement process.
Entities
Democratic Republic of the Congo · Jacquemain Shabani · M23 · Tanzania · UNHCR
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani stated the government is working with Tanzania and the UNHCR to find safe return locations for citizens. fr.news.yahoo.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Human Rights Watch documented arbitrary detentions, killings, and forced recruitment by M23 and Rwandan defense forces in eastern DRC in June 2026. afrikactus.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and the UNHCR have signed a roadmap for the voluntary repatriation of approximately 87,000 Congolese refugees living in Tanzania. afrikactus.com · congorassure.cd · fr.news.yahoo.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The UNHCR does not encourage repatriation to insecure areas such as Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. afrikactus.com · fr.news.yahoo.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The UNHCR must mobilize funds to organize the voluntary repatriation and resettlement process. fr.news.yahoo.com