Tanzania closes Nduta refugee camp, repatriates thousands of Burundians

Tanzania has closed the Nduta refugee camp and repatriated most Burundian refugees as part of an agreement with Burundi to return around 100,000 people. Activists allege some returns were forced, while the UNHCR says the process is meant to be voluntary but has raised concerns about pressure on refugees. Another camp, Nyarugusu, is also expected to close soon.

Tanzania has closed the Nduta refugee camp in the northwestern part of the country, which had been home to thousands of Burundian refugees, and has repatriated most of its residents back to Burundi, according to statements from activists and the United Nations refugee agency.
Reports from human rights groups say that approximately 3,000 refugees who remained in the camp were recently transported in vehicles and sent back to Burundi. Activists described the process as forced, alleging that the removals were carried out under pressure rather than through fully voluntary consent. Only a small number of families reportedly remained at the site afterward, awaiting transfer to another camp, while some others had already been moved to Nyarugusu camp following what campaigners described as a disputed selection process.
The Coalition for Human Rights/Living in Refugee Camps said that the closure of Nduta involved rapid relocation measures and that only about 10 families were still present at the camp at the time of final evacuation. The group also raised concerns about the fairness and transparency of the relocation and repatriation process, particularly in relation to how families were selected for transfer versus return.
According to figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Tanzania was hosting an estimated 142,000 Burundian refugees across two main camps—Nduta and Nyarugusu—prior to the closure. The repatriation process is part of a broader agreement between the governments of Tanzania and Burundi to return approximately 100,000 refugees by June, as relations between the two countries continue to shape migration and refugee policy in the region.
A spokesperson for UNHCR confirmed that the Nduta camp has now been closed by the Tanzanian government. The agency stated that the decision is being implemented under a “voluntary repatriation” framework agreed upon by UNHCR and both governments. However, the agency also emphasized that it has consistently raised concerns whenever reports of pressure, coercion, or abuse have emerged during the process. It reiterated that all refugee returns must meet international standards of being voluntary, safe, and dignified.
Despite these assurances, a separate UNHCR official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that repatriations have taken place but declined to directly respond to allegations that refugees were coerced into returning. This reflects ongoing tensions between official government statements describing the process as voluntary and claims from rights groups suggesting that some returns may not have been fully voluntary in practice.
Tanzanian authorities are also preparing to close Nyarugusu camp, another major site hosting Burundian refugees, by June 30. If implemented, this would mark a significant reduction in refugee hosting capacity in the country and represents one of the largest coordinated repatriation efforts in East Africa in recent years.
The situation remains under close observation by humanitarian organizations, as concerns persist over whether returning refugees will be able to safely reintegrate in Burundi, a country that has experienced political instability and displacement challenges over the past decade.