Question Period Note: Humanitarian Situation: Burundian Refugees in Tanzania

Canada remains deeply concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation and political unrest in Burundi, as well as the mounting pressure on refugees in Tanzania to return to Burundi.

• Canada has been providing humanitarian assistance to Burundian refugees in the region since the crisis began in 2015

• Since 2015, Canada provided over $14 million to humanitarian partners to help meet the emergency needs of refugees in Tanzania, including Burundians.This includes emergency food assistance, basic household items, temporary shelter, medical services, clean water and protection

• Canada is closely monitoring the humanitarian situation in Burundi and the region and will continue to respond, as appropriate.

Since 2015, significant political instability and increasing insecurity in Burundi has led over 430,000 people to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. Tanzania has consistently hosted the majority of the refugees and currently hosts over 206,000 refugees in three increasingly-congested camps in western Tanzania.

Following an early adoption of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (an initiative to advance durable solutions and support for both refugees and host communities) in 2016, Tanzania announced its withdrawal in early 2018, due to the perceived lack of external funding and political commitment to responsibility sharing. In April 2018, a tripartite agreement was signed for the repatriation of Burundian refugees. In August 2019, Tanzania and Burundi announced they would increase the number of returns to up to 2,000 refugees per week, starting in October. Nearly 3,000 refugees have returned through weekly convoys since October. Since September 2017, UNHCR has assisted nearly 80,000 refugees who indicated they have made a free and informed choice to voluntarily return. While overall security has improved, UNHCR maintains that conditions in Burundi are not yet conducive for safe, dignified and sustainable returns.

Since 2015, Canada has allocated nearly $38 million [partially announced] to UNHCR, WFP and NGO partners providing humanitarian assistance to refugees in Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2019, Canada has provided $1.4 million [unannounced] to meet humanitarian needs of refugees in Tanzania, including Burundians. This funding to experienced humanitarian partners helped provide food and nutrition assistance, health, water and sanitation, shelter, livelihoods and protection services to vulnerable people, including women and girls.

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