President Paul Kagame and visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Fillipo Grandi, on Thursday, August 28, discussed areas of collaboration between Rwanda and the UN Refugee Agency. Their discussion focused on Rwanda’s leading role in prioritizing refugee protection, integration and long-term solutions, according to Village Urugwiro. ALSO READ: Rwanda mulls transition from refugee camps to settlements Grandi had on Wednesday met with the Minister of Emergency Management, Maj Gen (Rtd) Albert Murasira. Their discussions focused on resilience, integration, and safeguarding the rights of refugees, reaffirming Rwanda’s partnership with UN Refugee Agency. ALSO READ: Rwanda nears full financial inclusion for refugees at 98% Before he came to Rwanda, Grandi went to DR Congo, where he met with various officials, including the country's president. The visit also comes about one month after Rwanda, DR Congo and the UN Refugee Agency signed an agreement on the voluntary repatriation of refugees in the two countries. On Monday, about 530 Rwandan citizens were repatriated from DR Congo, as part of the renewed commitment by the governments. Grandi’s visit comes as Rwanda, the UN and development partners are exploring ways to improve living standards for the country’s refugee population, estimated at about 135,000 as of December 2024. Most of them are from the DR Congo and Burundi. Just this week, Rwandan officials and UNHCR leadership discussed the country’s plan to gradually transition from traditional refugee camps to integrated settlements. The move, officials said, will align with the Global Compact on Refugees and promote inclusion, self-reliance, and durable solutions for both refugees and host communities. Beyond settlement reforms, Rwanda and its partners are also advancing refugee inclusion through new partnerships.
