Crisis at Burundi Shelters: Refugee Influx Overwhelms Facilities

The UN Refugee Agency reports a significant crisis in Burundi's displacement camps, with 63,000 refugees fleeing conflict in Congo. Overcrowding at a Rugombo stadium, housing 45,000 people, highlights dire conditions, as the region struggles with limited space and resources for the refugees.

The UN Refugee Agency has issued a stark warning about the alarming conditions in Burundi's displacement camps. The country faces its largest refugee surge in decades, as 63,000 individuals flee violence in neighboring Congo.

In Rugombo, close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, approximately 45,000 displaced people are seeking shelter in a congested open-air stadium. Conditions are deteriorating, with the stadium filled beyond capacity and lacking further space for refuge.

Faith Kasina, regional spokesperson for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes, described the situation as 'absolutely dire,' stressing the urgent need for additional shelter and resources to support the influx of refugees.