A large number of refugees are pouring into Burundi, and the lack of funds is causing aid efforts to become stuck in a predicament.

The United Nations Refugee Agency announced on the 25th that the conflict in eastern Congo has led to a large number of refugees pouring into Burundi, posing serious challenges to local humanitarian aid, with severe funding shortages threatening emergency relief efforts. Since the beginning of 2024, over 71,000 people have fled Congo into Burundi, with 16,000 of them being housed in the Musenyi refugee camp in the east. Due to overcrowding, emergency tents have been forced to be set up in low-lying areas that were originally used for cultivation, increasing the risk of flooding during the rainy season and worsening living conditions. The camp lacks basic services, with schools, clinics, and health facilities operating beyond capacity, leading to increased tensions between new and old refugees. Due to reduced food aid and harsh conditions, some refugees have been forced to return to Congo. The funding gap has put aid efforts in a difficult situation, with the UNHCR forced to stop distributing hygiene kits, leaving nearly 11,000 women and girls without access to basic health protection; services for the protection of gender-based violence and separated children have also been cut. The UNHCR calls on the international community to immediately provide $76.5 million to support Burundi in addressing the current crisis and to invest in long-term development projects to benefit refugees and communities.