Burundi situation

Political unrest in Burundi took a deadly turn in 2015. While the situation is now relatively stable, hundreds of thousands of Burundians who fled to nearby countries in search of safety are in need of protection and support.

 

Over 192,000

refugees repatriated since 2017


Last updated September 2022 - Visit the Data Portal for more statistics

The people of Burundi are facing a crisis marked by economic decline, extreme food insecurity and a disease outbreak. While the worst of the violence has eased, the situation remains fragile, with continued displacement within and outside the country.

If you are a refugee and need help, click here for more information.

What is UNHCR doing to help?

UNHCR and its partners are working together every day to aid and protect Burundi’s refugees in Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and other nearby countries. Together, we are helping families reunite with lost loved ones and training camp community workers to spot signs of sexual exploitation and abuse. We are helping mothers give birth in proper health facilities and enlisting water engineers to drill new boreholes to supply water for refugees.

But health centres are struggling to cope with huge numbers of patients. Education is very basic, and children lack sufficient learning materials; hundreds of children in Tanzania attend classes under trees.

For the hundreds of thousands of Burundian refugees who still require international protection, more global support and funding is needed to provide urgent life-saving assistance for today, and long-term solutions for the future.

Support our work now

To find the latest figures, please visit our Data Portal. You can also read the latest external updates on our Global Focus page.