United Nations refugee chief Filippo Grandi praised Rwanda this Friday for hosting tens of thousands of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi, while urging stronger efforts to end violence in eastern Congo that has left many displaced.
Speaking during his visit to Rwanda following meetings in Kinshasa, Grandi highlighted the connection between ongoing regional peace processes and the fate of refugees. “I’m here on a visit to the region, following the Washington Agreement and the Doha Declaration of Principles. You know that both these documents include a mention of the refugees, because the refugees have been a result of the conflicts in this area,” he said. “If these peace processes proceed positively, we can find solutions for refugees.”
Grandi said that Rwanda hosts almost 140,000 Congolese and Burundian refugees and has very open policies, and told reporters during a visit to a transit centre for new arrivals. “Here people will later move to camps like Mahama, where they can access education, health services and even work.”
Nyiramutigerwa Ange, a woman of about 28 years old from Minembwe in Southern Kivu Province, arrived in Rwanda after escaping the attacks. Separated from her husband and left to rebuild her life in a refugee camp, shared her story.
“I come from Minembwe. In July 2025, I was forced to leave my home because of the violence. Armed groups — Wazalendo and FDLR, with the support of the government of Congo — attacked everybody in community speaking Kinyarwanda”, She said.
In his testimony, the representative of the Nkamira Transit Camp, Mr. Munyankindi Bushashe stressed that he has no hope in appealing to the authorities in Kinshasa for protection, arguing that the Government of DR Congo has either endorsed or turned a blind eye to the violence carried out by militias such as Wazalendo and the FDLR.
“There is nothing I can ask from the government of Congo,” he said. “Because all the terrible acts against the Tutsi are always backed by the Government of DR Congo. And when it is the state itself that is supporting these actions, who else could we rely on?” “My message is that international organizations should stand for us, speak for us, so that we can find peace and eventually return home,” he added.
Grandi, who met President Paul Kagame and senior officials in Kigali, thanked Rwanda for the excellent policies they have for refugees and linked refugee solutions to ongoing peace initiatives in the region, citing the Washington Agreement and Doha Declaration. “If these peace processes proceed positively, we can find solutions for refugees,” he said.
Grandi visited Kinshasa earlier this week, where he met President Félix Tshisekedi. He called on both Rwanda and Congo to seize what he described as a “window of peacemaking,” despite the difficulties.
