A group of 532 Rwandans, primarily women and children, have successfully been repatriated via the border between Rwanda and Congo. This milestone follows a high-level resolution during a significant meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The meeting involved the Governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), alongside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), focusing on the repatriation of refugees residing in each other's countries.
These 532 individuals join a group of 1,156 Rwandans who had already returned home by May 2023, after spending years as refugees in eastern Congo. Their return marks an encouraging progress in resettling displaced individuals.
Since January, plans had been underway to repatriate over 2,000 Rwandans who had congregated in the city of Goma, DRC. Upon their arrival in Rwanda, this latest group of returnees was immediately relocated to the Nyarushishi camp, located in Rusizi District, where they will begin the reintegration process.
With this latest development, 532 Rwandans have officially returned home from Congo, marking a significant step in ongoing repatriation efforts.