The refugee issue between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda is a controversial and delicate subject. However, a glimmer of hope recently appeared with the announcement of the Deputy High Commissioner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Raouf Mazou said that Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo and those from the DRC in Rwanda can freely express their desire to be repatriated to their respective countries.
This is an important step forward since the repatriation will be voluntary for the citizens of these neighboring countries. The UN High Commissioner specified that there are “about 80,000 Congolese who are in Rwanda and about 200,000 Rwandans who are currently in Congo” but stressed that these figures are “approximate”.
The agreement between the Rwandan and Congolese governments was achieved during the tripartite which took place in Geneva last May. Both countries had affirmed their desire to allow citizens to return home voluntarily and safely.
Raouf Mazou also announced that a technical meeting will be organized in the coming days to define the modalities of support for those who wish to return to their places of origin.
This is a significant step forward in resolving the security crisis that has opposed the DRC and Rwanda for decades. The issue of refugees is one of the factors behind this situation and it is to be hoped that this voluntary return agreement will be well implemented to facilitate reconciliation between the two neighboring countries.