NAIROBI: Tanzania has reaffirmed that the ongoing return of Burundian refugees is being carried out on a voluntary, safe and dignified basis, in line with domestic and international legal standards.
In a statement responding to recent concerns, the director of refugee services at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Sudi Mwakibasi, said the country’s refugee policy remains anchored in humanitarian principles that have guided it for decades.
“Tanzania remains fully committed to ensuring that every repatriation is voluntary, safe and conducted with dignity,” he said, adding that authorities are working with the United Nations refugee agency and the Burundian government to ensure refugees can make informed decisions about returning home.
He said Tanzania’s approach reflects its obligations under regional and international frameworks, as well as longstanding ties with Burundi.
Officials say voluntary repatriation has historically been supported when conditions in Burundi improve, describing it as the most sustainable solution. They cited a 2001 tripartite agreement between Tanzania, Burundi and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which facilitated the return of hundreds of thousands of refugees between 2002 and 2012. Others who remained were granted citizenship.
The current exercise, focusing on refugees who fled Burundi in 2015, follows similar arrangements. A tripartite commission revived in 2017 reaffirmed voluntary return as the preferred long-term option.
According to the government, more than 242,000 Burundian refugees have returned home since 2017.
Joint assessments by Tanzania and UNHCR indicate that many refugees no longer require international protection, with most concerns now linked to access to land and basic services rather than insecurity. The findings informed a November 2025 meeting in Dar es Salaam, where officials agreed on steps to accelerate returns.
Authorities said participation in the programme is based on individual consent and verified by UNHCR.
They also rejected allegations of coercion, describing them as misinformation, and reiterated adherence to the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits forced returns to unsafe conditions.
Procedures in camps, including publishing departure lists and dismantling shelters, are standard practice to facilitate orderly movement and reduce security risks, officials said. In many cases, refugees dismantle their own shelters to reuse materials upon return.
International observers, including diplomats and humanitarian agencies, have visited the camps and confirmed that the process meets international protection standards, the government added.
Officials said declining humanitarian funding has strained services in camps, arguing that prolonged displacement under such conditions is unsustainable. They also pointed to improved stability in Burundi and the readiness of its authorities to receive returnees.
Tanzania has hosted refugees from across the region for decades, including large numbers of Burundians who fled violence in 1972, during the civil war between 1993 and 2005, and following unrest in 2015.
