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Burundi delegation in DR Congo for refugee repatriation agreement

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Burundi
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Xinhua
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KINSHASA, Dec 09, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- A delegation of experts from the Burundian government arrived on Tuesday in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to prepare for a tripartite accord with UNHCR on refugees living in the two countries, Congolese News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Led by Emmanuel Nkengurutse, Burundi officer in charge of judicial and administrative issues, the delegation will work with their Congolese counterpart on an agreement to be signed on Friday by the interior ministers of the two countries and UNHCR, in view of voluntary repatriation of these refugees.

The deal was already decided upon in October at the end of a tripartite meeting held in Bujumbura at the initiative of the DRC government. The agreement centers on the repatriation of Congolese refugees living in Gihinga camp in Mwaro province in Burundi.

Close to 2,300 Congolese refugees wanted to return to the DRC after they were refused to be transferred to another camp located in the north of Burundi.

According to the statistics of the national refugees commission in the DRC, some 34,000 Congolese refugees are living in Burundi.