While thousands of people continue to be “voluntarily repatriated”, says an official from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) Thousands may still need international protection in Tanzania.
Up to 17,000 say they cannot return for fear of their safety or the danger of political persecution. Among them are members of the political opposition and former soldiers.
“Refugees are increasingly concerned about forced returns and coercive measures.“said Bahia Egeh of UNHCR, which is based in Tanzania. “We also continue to advocate against any coercive measures for refugees in the camps.”
Adding to these concerns are reports that during the repatriation process in Tanzania, refugee shelters are being “demolished” and some refugees from Burundi are being subjected to “mistreatment,” UNHCR revealed on Tuesday.
UNHCR’s official position on forced repatriations, known as refoulement, is clear and based on international refugee law: refugees and asylum seekers should not be returned to a place where their lives or freedom would be at risk.
History of displacement
Many refugees in Tanzania have been refugees before: they fled Burundi’s civil war in the 1990s and early 2000s, returned to Burundi, and then fled again in 2015 during a period of political unrest.
There are currently two refugee camps in the northwestern Kigoma region of the East African country, Nduta and Nyarugusu, which is the larger of the two.
Many refugees seek to resettle in Nyarugusu after the Nduta camp to close in March.
Ms Egeh said conditions in these camps are “challenging for refugees” amid a reduction in UNHCR funding that has impacted services.
UNHCR assisted the voluntary return of around 390,000 Tanzanian refugees between 2002 and 2009, while around 162,000 Burundian citizens were granted Tanzanian citizenship in 2014.
In 2015, there was a large increase in people fleeing Burundi to Tanzania.
What is happening now?
In 2017, it was considered safe for Burundian refugees to return to their homes.
UNHCR reached a tripartite agreement with the governments of Burundi and Tanzania to voluntarily repatriate. Initially, progress was good, but the COVID pandemic caused a decline in repatriations for some years.
In recent months, repatriation efforts have intensified after a target of 3,000 refugees per week was agreed by the end of 2025 as part of an updated tripartite agreement.
In this way, UNHCR moved from facilitating to promoting and expressing more support for voluntary returns to Burundi.
Rebound in 2026
In the first two months of 2026, more than 28,000 Burundian refugees returned from Tanzania.
With the return of 8,000 people last week (well above the weekly target), the total number of repatriations since the 2017 agreement now exceeds 180,000 refugees.
However, in a statement on Tuesday, UNHCR expressed concern that during these accelerated efforts “Refugee shelters have been demolished, forcing people to seek temporary shelter in already overcrowded departure centers and worsening conditions on the ground.. Some refugees have also reportedly been subjected to ill-treatment.”
A UNHCR staff member talks to a Burundian refugee in Nyarugusu camp, Tanzania.
Ms Egeh said: “We continue to advocate for the Government to adhere to the tripartite agreement. The three parties agreed that it should be safe and dignity and respect the principles of protection.”
An important part of the tripartite agreement is that people must be treated with respect: returns must be based on free and informed choice and not coercion.
To support refugees at risk, Ms Egeth said UNHCR has a dedicated protection assistance service where they can assess refugees’ willingness to return. This will ensure that “people still in need of international protection in Tanzania are not part of the convoy heading out.”
Funding cuts, reduced services
“When I arrived two years ago, there were 10 health centers. But in recent years, Due to financing, due to the decrease in resources coming in, today there are two facilities out of the 10 that are open in the Nyarugusu field.”
According to the UNHCR statement “Capacity is also severely overstretched in the reception and transit centers of Burundi. Increased return pressures, reduced resources and limited personnel are straining operations on both sides of the border.”
Ms Egeth emphasized that for refugees, some of whom have been displaced since the 1990s, the most effective form of support is to fund “resettlement efforts” in Burundi. This will help achieve a sustainable return and end the cycle of movement, so that people can “start rebuilding their lives” after years of insecurity and uncertainty.
UNHCR remains committed to protecting refugees who do not want to return home and supporting refugees who do.
“We will continue to support the governments of Burundi and Tanzania to fulfill their commitments in accordance with the tripartite agreements around voluntary repatriation and, in particular, to ensure that refugees and their needs remain at the center of attention at every step of the repatriation process.”