Rwanda’s Plea To The International Community: Urgent Attention Needed For Refugees

By Maniraguha Ferdinand

The Rwandan government has issued a heartfelt call to the international community, drawing attention to a concerning reduction in aid allocated for refugees and the potential dire consequences that may ensue.

This pressing concern was raised during a diplomatic briefing held on Thursday, October 11th, attended by various accredited diplomats in Kigali.

Philippe Habinshuti, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Emergency Management, disclosed that Rwanda currently provides refuge to 134,519 individuals, with 62.20% hailing from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 37.24% from Burundi, and 0.56% from various other nationalities.

Habinshuti noted that key partners, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP), have informed the Rwandan government of their budgetary constraints.

This unfortunate circumstance will result in refugees in Rwanda no longer receiving certain essential services, such as regular food provisions, access to hospitals, which will be limited to life-saving emergencies only, cooking resources, educational support for students attending boarding schools, and the maintenance and rehabilitation of shelters.

Mr. Habinshuti underscored the imperative of not forgetting the plight of refugees sheltered in Rwanda, especially given the escalating global conflicts and crises.

The impending refugee crisis is expected to intensify in the days ahead, compounded by ongoing global conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, Israeli-Hamas conflict, and the persistent turmoil in Eastern Congo, among others.