Burundi camp struggles as DR Congo refugees continue to arrive

Camps in Burundi are struggling to cope with new arrivals. More than 65,000 people are sheltering at Busuma camp, according to the HoRN Institute, which said over 500,000 people have been displaced and nearly 3,000 killed since M23rebels captured Goma and Bukavu in early 2025.

Refugees arriving from areas including South Kivu’s Mutarule village lack basic supplies such as food, shelter and blankets. Many have been separated from family members during the violence and are living in temporary conditions with limited protection from the weather.

Esperance Sakina Hatari, who arrived in December 2025, said conditions in the camp are severe. “We left with nothing. We came with our children, that’s all,” she said. “Some of us have no food, no shelter and no blankets. We sleep on the ground, and the children are dying of cold and hunger.” Her husband remains in DR Congo.

Heavy rains have worsened conditions, with water passing through temporary plastic coverings and access to clean water remaining limited, according to The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Overcrowding has also increased pressure on basic services in the camp, straining their ability to provide for essential needs.

ICRC said it is supporting efforts to reconnect families through phone calls and connectivity services. However, assistance remains limited. “People receive very little compared to what they need,” committee representative Noemie Niyongere said, adding that around two-thirds of refugees do not have shelter.

UNHCR said escalating violence in eastern DR Congo has deepened a humanitarian crisis in Burundi as refugees continue to arrive. The agency warned that displacement linked to the conflict is placing additional strain on reception capacity and resources across its remit.

Africanews, ICRC, UNHCR, Maghrebi.org