December 19, 2025 — Dalena Reporters
Burundi is facing a major humanitarian emergency after a massive influx of refugees fleeing escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has overwhelmed its already limited resources, the United Nations has warned. Tens of thousands of Congolese families have crossed into Burundi in recent weeks, pushing the small country’s capacity to respond to breaking point.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), over 84,000 people have arrived in Burundi since the start of December, seeking safety from renewed fighting in South Kivu province near the border, particularly around the strategic town of Uvira. Most of the arrivals are women and children, many of whom have traveled by foot or by boats across Lake Tanganyika — some of which are in dangerous condition and have capsized, causing fatalities.
The new surge follows earlier displacement this year; a previous wave of about 70,000 people fled similar violence in eastern Congo and only part of that group has since returned, leaving Burundi still hosting large numbers of refugees when the latest influx struck.
UNHCR officials say local resources including food, water and sanitation services in camps and transit sites are severely strained, with long queues for limited supplies and outbreaks of cholera posing significant health risks. The refugee agency described the situation as “catastrophic” and called for immediate international support to prevent conditions from deteriorating further.
A $35 million appeal for emergency assistance has been launched, but rising global humanitarian funding shortfalls have made securing timely support uncertain, according to UNHCR’s representative in Burundi.
The violence driving the displacement comes amid a renewed offensive by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel movement against Congolese government forces. Despite a U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed in June 2025, fighting has persisted around key towns and mining areas in South Kivu, contributing to deepening insecurity and civilian flight. Rwanda denies supporting M23, even as some international reports indicate command or influence links between the group and Rwandan elements — claims Kigali rejects.
Beyond the border into Burundi, refugees arriving daily describe exhaustion, trauma and family separations, many having watched relatives killed or left behind during the fighting. Aid workers warn that child protection issues, malnutrition and disease are high on the list of urgent concerns, particularly as transit centres and makeshift shelters exceed capacity.
The unfolding crisis reflects broader regional instability tied to the DRC conflict, which has displaced millions inside the country and into neighbouring states, prompting fears of a larger regional humanitarian calamity unless peace prospects and aid responses improve rapidly.