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Burundi Situation: Regional Update (1-30 September 2018)

Countries
Tanzania
+ 4 more
Sources
UNHCR
Publication date
Origin
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378,231 Total refugees from Burundi in the four main hosting countries (United Republic of Tanzania, Rwanda, the DRC, Uganda).

6,648 Burundian refugees assisted to return from the United Republic of Tanzania in September 2018, totalling 39,156 assisted in 2018.

242 Burundian refugee arrivals /registrations recorded in September 2018, totalling 6,449 arrivals in the region.

Highlights and Operational Context

 The mid-year report for the Burundi Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP), including a regional overview and country level updates, was published by the Regional Refugee Coordination office. Although facing severe resource constraints, the reports reflect overall progress throughout the region, including in the provision of sexual and gender based violence interventions, education, water and sanitation, and shelter. However, due to underfunding, schools and health centres remained overcrowded, food rations were reduced in 3 of the 4 asylum countries during the first half of the year, only 50% of refugees were living in semi-permanent shelters, 64% were still accessing communal latrines, and investments in livelihoods and environmental projection remained limited. The reports are available here.

 The Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Burundi Situation and CRRF Champion jointly hosted with the Regional Refugee Coordinator for the South Sudan Situation an event in Nairobi, Kenya on 25 September 2018 to mark the two year anniversary of the New York Declaration and correspond with a high level event on the Global Compact on Refugees hosted by the High Commissioner for Refugees the same week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The event highlighted the role of different stakeholders – UN and NGO partners, World Bank, donors, and private sector – in the application of the CRRF in the region.

 The Commission of Inquiry on Burundi released their report on the human rights situation on 5 September 2018. In its report, the Commission of Inquiry noted with alarm the persistence of serious human rights violations, some of which constitute crimes against humanity. The Commission called upon the Government of Burundi to make a firm and unequivocal commitment to put an immediate end to the human rights violations committed in the country. On 28 September 2018 the UN Human Rights Council voted to extend the Commission’s mandate for another year.

 Over 52,000 refugees across the region have been assisted to return to Burundi since September 2017 – the vast majority from Tanzania, with smaller numbers returning from Rwanda, DRC, and Kenya. The 2018 Burundi Regional Refugee Response Plan, funded at only 12 per cent as of end of September, continues catering for the over 370,000 Burundian refugees that remain in serious need of assistance and international protection.

 Following the recent Ebola outbreak in the DRC, partners are working to ensure that refugees are included in national prevention and mitigation measures in the DRC and neighbouring countries.