Attachments
Overview
Tanzania is currently host to some 98,117 Burundian refugees, staying in Nduta and Nyaragusu camps for around a decade, following several waves of violence and political instability in Burundi. Voluntary returns of Burundians began in 2017 following assurances of improved security in Burundi. As of 31 January 2026, some 198,705 Burundians were supported to return back home from Tanzania and 85,519 from other countries, mainly to Cakunzo, Kirundo, Makamba, Muyinga, Rumonge, Rutana, and Ruyigi. Yet recent surveys indicate that the vast majority of returnees struggle with access to essential services such as housing, healthcare, education and livelihoods, and often find themselves caught in precarious economic circumstances once back in Burundi’s under-resourced communities. At the Tripartite Commission meetings held in Tanzania and Burundi between 2023 and 2025, UNHCR, the Governments of Burundi and the United Republic of Tanzania agreed to promote and accelerate the voluntary returns of Burundian refugees, while ensuring that these are informed, voluntary, safe, and dignified. This critical injection of resources will ensure that some 93,000 Burundian refugees from Tanzania are supported to go back home and can start to rebuild their lives in a sustainable manner. This appeal also includes the requirements to receive an additional 11,600 Burundian refugees returning from Kenya, DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, and from other countries in Southern Africa. Without comprehensive support, including access to basic services, economic opportunities, community reconciliation and tailored protection assistance, there is a heightened risk that returnees will face renewed displacement or resort to onward movements in search of safety and stability.