LUSAKA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have agreed to resume the voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees currently living in Zambia, according to a communique released on Friday.
The decision was made at the ninth meeting of the Tripartite Commission on the Voluntary Repatriation of Congolese refugees in Zambia, held on Tuesday and Thursday, with officials from the two governments and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
According to the communique, Zambia and the DRC agreed to support the mobilization of resources for the voluntary repatriation exercise and the reintegration of returnees.
They also decided to send a delegation from the DRC to Zambian refugee settlements in order to increase awareness of the repatriation process and improve the gathering of Congolese refugees' intentions to return.
The communique said the UNHCR reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the two governments in implementing durable solutions, including the voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees.
According to the UNHCR figures, Zambia had about 113,054 refugees, asylum-seekers and other displaced persons as of September 2025, of whom 64,131 were from the DRC. ■
