The rehabilitation of the Katalukulu Health Center near Mulongwe site (South Kivu) was completed and medical staff was hired. The Center will benefit both Burundian refugees and host community.

On 28 March 2018 the second Tripartite Commission Meeting was held in Bujumbura, Burundi. UNHCR continues assisting returns of Burundian refugees from Tanzania who are voluntarily choosing to go to their areas of origin.

UNHCR’s Regional Refugee Coordinator (RRC) for the Burundi situation carried out a brief to Ambassadors and Head of delegations on the needs of Burundian refugees on the 4th May 2018 at the invitation of the US Ambassador, H.E. Robert F. Godec.

In DRC, due to lack of shelter over 700 families are still waiting to be transferred to the new site of Mulongwe. Current funding only guarantees the construction of 100 additional shelters.

Nyarugusu, Mtendeli and Nduta in Tanzania carried out a post distribution monitoring assessments on food security and refugee coping mechanisms in May 2018. This assessment is a first step to understand beneficiaries’ food security situation across the three camps.

As of 12 June, the 2018 Burundi RRP is only 11% funded. Urgent funding is needed to meet the needs of Burundi refugees in DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

UNHCR’s Regional Refugee Coordinator (RRC) for the Burundi situation carried out a brief to Ambassadors and Head of delegations in Nairobi on the needs of Burundian refugees on July 6, 2018 at the invitation of the Australian High Commissioner, H.E. Ms. Alison Chartres.

“UNHCR is not promoting returns to Burundi at this stage, but we continue to work with the governments of Burundi and host countries, including Tanzania, to assist those who feel now is the time for them to return home.”

The Burundian refugee situation is at present the lowest funded of any situation globally. At present just 28 per cent of the US$206 million needed has been received. The impact on the 400,000 refugees in neighbouring countries is acute.

The lack of funding has stopped UNHCR’s cash-based assistance programme in Rwanda’s Mahama camp for 19,500 families, severely affecting refugees’ ability to meet their own basic needs.