Rwandan refugees return to Rwanda from DRC

Since the beginning of 2026, 3,752 Rwandan refugees have voluntarily returned to Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This figure follows a recent movement of 366 individuals from Goma, Bukavu, and Kamanyola.

The repatriation process is part of a tripartite agreement between the DRC, Rwanda, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The parties have set a target of 10,000 returns for the year 2026. However, current progress represents less than 2% of the approximately 194,500 Rwandan refugees and asylum seekers still recorded in the DRC, the majority of whom reside in the eastern part of the country.

These civilian returns are distinct from a separate operation conducted on September 8, which involved the transfer of 120 individuals—comprising 51 former FDLR combatants and 69 family members—to a demobilization center in Rwanda with support from MONUSCO. While the UNHCR maintains that the repatriations are voluntary, safe, and dignified, some refugee advocacy organizations have raised concerns regarding the conditions under which individuals are identified and grouped in eastern DRC territories.