Africa: How Voluntary and Safe Are Burundian Refugee Returns From Tanzania?

The coercive repatriation of Burundian refugees risks reproducing cycles of displacement ahead of Burundi's 2027 elections.

Since December 2025, tens of thousands of Burundian refugees in Tanzania have returned to Burundi, mainly from Nduta camp, which closed in April. Most had fled Burundi after former president Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to seek a third term triggered violent protests in 2015, followed by a failed coup and repression.

The returns accelerated after November 2025 when the Tanzania-Burundi-United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) tripartite commission agreed to close Nduta and Nyarugusu camps by mid-2026, affecting about 142 000 Burundian refugees.