Refugee repatriation efforts in the Great Lakes region

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is engaged in tripartite agreements with neighboring nations to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of refugees.

In late August 2026, the DRC and Tanzania, alongside the UNHCR, signed a roadmap in Lubumbashi to organize the return of approximately 87,000 Congolese refugees from Tanzania. The agreement emphasizes that returns must be voluntary and safe, though the UNHCR warned of security risks in volatile eastern regions like Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu.

By September 2026, coordination efforts between Rwanda, the DRC, and the UNHCR regarding Rwandan refugees showed continued progress toward a technical goal of 10,000 returns for the year. As of September 20, 3,752 Rwandan refugees have voluntarily returned since the start of 2026, including a recent movement of 366 individuals from Goma, Bukavu, and Kamanyola. However, this represents less than 2% of the approximately 194,500 Rwandan refugees and asylum seekers remaining in the DRC.

These civilian returns are distinct from a September 8 operation involving the transfer of 120 individuals—including 51 former FDLR combatants and 69 family members—to a demobilization center in Rwanda with MONUSCO support. While the UNHCR maintains that 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. These efforts occur alongside regional tensions sparked by a historical map circulating on social media depicting an “ancient Rwanda” that extends into eastern DRC and western Uganda.