Most returnees are women and children born to families who fled Rwanda during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Many of their spouses joined armed groups in the DRC, including the FDLR militia, which is linked to the 1994 atrocities and has a history of attacks against Rwanda.
MINEMA reports that over the past 30 years, more than 3.5 million Rwandans have returned to the country.
The current wave of repatriation follows agreements reached at a trilateral meeting between Rwanda, the DRC, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on July 24, 2025.
Since then, Rwanda has been receiving returnees gradually. The latest group, 208 people, arrived on February 27, 2026, having been held hostage by the FDLR in the DRC.
The government provides support to help returnees reintegrate into daily life. Adults over 18 receive $188, minors receive $113, and all are provided with basic food supplies worth 45,000 Rwandan francs.
Separately, Rwanda continues to host more than 100,000 Congolese refugees who have fled instability in eastern DRC.
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