First convoy of DR Congo refugees return from Burundi, amid cautious hope

Buses with Congolese refugees returning from Burundi on board are seen in Uvira, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on April 23, 2026. [Xinhua]

A column of buses idled at dusk on the Burundian side of the border, their windows framing silhouettes of families pressed among piled belongings. After months in exile, they were finally heading home.

Last Thursday, about 470 refugees crossed back into the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), marking the first organised return from Burundi under a voluntary repatriation program facilitated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).