KIGALI, Rwanda

Leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) agreed Thursday to resume voluntary repatriation of thousands of Congolese refugees living in Zambia.

The announcement came at the end of a three-day tripartite meeting in Kolwezi, the capital of Lualaba province in southeastern Congo.

“The tripartite commission decided to resume the operation of voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees living in Zambia and to strengthen the data collection on the return,” a joint statement said.

The meeting also resolved to send a delegation from Kinshasa to visit refugee camps in Zambia to raise awareness about voluntary repatriation and support fundraising initiatives for the refugees, the statement added.

Eric Mukandila, representative of the Congolese delegation, said participants agreed to organize regular meetings, in person or online, of technical groups to ensure continuous consultations and effective coordination for the implementation of the repatriation process.

The three-day meeting, held from March 10 to 12, aimed to assess the situation of Congolese refugees in Zambia and the conditions in their home regions.

Congolese Deputy Prime Minister for the Interior Jacquemain Shabani told the meeting that the security situation in parts of Congo that previously forced people to flee is gradually becoming favorable for their safe return.

UNHCR representative in Congo, Pierre Atchom, said the agency is encouraged by the progress already made by Congo in stabilizing several areas of origin for refugees living in Zambia.

Of the roughly 67,000 Congolese refugees in Zambia, some 11,523 were repatriated to their home country between 2023 and 2025, according to UNHCR.