KIGALI, July 8 — At least 103 Rwandan refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arrived Wednesday in their home country, the government said Thursday.
In a statement, the Rwandan Ministry of Emergency Management said the returnees are currently hosted at a reception centre in western Rwanda’s Nyabihu district.
While at the reception centre the returnees will receive resettlement support including funds, food items for three months, registration for a national identity card and community-based health insurance for one year, said the statement.
More returnees are expected to arrive via the western Rusizi border on Friday, it said.
Since 1994 over 3.5 million Rwandan refugees have returned home and reintegrated into the country, according to data from the ministry.
For the last five years, Rwanda in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) received 15,643 returnees mainly from the DRC, the ministry said.
The Rwandan government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety and sustainable reintegration of all returnees.
“The government will also continue to work with various partners, including neighbouring countries and UN agencies in finding possible solutions to improving the wellbeing of all refugees living in Rwanda as well as finding long-term and durable solutions for them,” it said. (Xinhua)