Kinshasa hosts tripartite talks on repatriation of central african refugees from drc

The capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is hosting the second tripartite meeting between the DRC, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the Central African Republic (CAR) from Tuesday 9 to Thursday 12 June. The discussions focus on the voluntary return of Central African refugees living in the DRC. Around the table are experts from the DRC, the CAR and the UNHCR.

Pierre Atchom, the UNHCR representative in the DRC, said during his address that 22,604 biometrically registered Central African refugees still reside in the DRC. They are mainly concentrated in the provinces of Nord-Ubangi, Sud-Ubangi and Bas-Uélé. In addition, approximately 65,000 new Central African asylum seekers arrived in May 2025 in the locality of Zapaï, located in the Ango territory of Bas-Uélé province.

Éric Mukandila, permanent secretary of the National Commission for Refugees (CNR) and head of the DRC delegation, recalled that the voluntary repatriation process for Central African refugees in the DRC resumed after conflict-affected areas were pacified, following an agreement signed in July 2019 between the DRC, the CAR and the UNHCR. “That agreement was reinforced by the 2022 Yaoundé Declaration, which promotes a regional approach to finding and implementing durable solutions for people forcibly displaced by the Central African crisis,” said the Congolese delegate. He highlighted that since 2019, 40,000 Central Africans have already returned to the CAR in conditions of safety and dignity, thanks to the collaboration between the UNHCR and both governments.

“Faced with this situation, which generates anger and discouragement among candidates for return, an in-depth review is essential to identify solutions that will allow a safe and dignified return to the country,” he stressed.

Mesmin Guenguebe Mbari, advisor in charge of spatial planning for the CAR and head of the Central African delegation, welcomed the fact that more than 43% of Central Africans have already returned from the DRC under this agreement. He outlined his country’s projections for this year: the potential return of nearly 60,000 refugees from various asylum countries, supported by an innovative strategy of development hubs in the return zones on Central African territory. He also called for pragmatic and frank discussions, advocating for a methodological pause to scientifically evaluate the real lives of those who have already returned, analyse their level of integration within communities, and measure the actual impact of the assistance allocated to them.