Maastricht Graduate School of Governance

Policy brief: Diaspora Engagement in Burundi:

The Emergence of a Migration Policy
Migration policy brief | No. 3

Introduction Migration and development policy in Burundi is very new,

reflecting the persistence of violent conflict that only ended
This policy brief provides an overview of diaspora engagement in 2005. The long period of conflict in Burundi shifted the
initiatives in Burundi, a country located in the Central African priorities of the Burundian government to other pressing
Great Lakes region. The information for this policy brief was issues such as security and the provision of basic needs. The
gathered during a one-week visit to Bujumbura, Burundi government is now becoming more interested in migration
in September 2010. A total of 13 interviews were conducted and development policies and is establishing different
with academics, government officials, and international initiatives to tap the resources of the diaspora. Different
organisations. In addition, data and documentation was international organizations such as the International
gathered from the relevant authorities and served as Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High
background materials to this brief. Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are active in the field of
migration and development in Burundi as well.
Burundi has been plagued by waves of civil conflict since
its independence from Belgium in 1962. Burundi’s first
democratically-elected government was installed in 2005, and Current migration situation
only recently has the country experienced a period of stability
and peace. As a result of the violent conflicts in Burundi and Table 1 presents an overview of the current migration situation
surrounding countries, the country has experienced large for Burundi with a focus on forced migration (UNHCR, 2010).
migration flows. These flows mainly consisted of internally As this table shows Burundi is still both an immigration and
displaced persons (IDPs) seeking safe havens in other parts of emigration country. Refugees residing in Burundi are mostly
Burundi and refugees fleeing over the border to neighbouring from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and, to some
countries such as Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic extent, Rwanda. The country currently hosts around 100,000
Republic of the Congo. At the same time Burundi served as a IDPs as well. Since the security situation has improved in
destination for refugees from other countries as conflict raged Burundi, the number of IDPs has decreased slowly from over
across the whole region. 280,000 in 2003 (ICG, 2003) to 100,000 (UNHCR, 2010) as of

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October 2010. Most refugees originating from Burundi live In the past years new migration patterns in Burundi have
in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, emerged, with recent flows mostly consisting of highly-skilled
and Rwanda. Tanzania currently hosts the most Burundian migrants who move to Europe and Western Africa. In addition,
refugees, most of whom are located in the ‘Old Settlements’ South Africa receives a substantial amount of migrants
created by the Tanzanian government after the 1972 inflow from Burundi. These migrants can be mainly classified as
of refugees from Burundi. economic migrants who are in search of better educational
and economic opportunities. Burundi has also received an
influx of new immigrants looking for business and investment
Table 1: Burundi Refugee Statistics January 2010 opportunities, many of whom originate from China and
Pakistan. Due to a lack of data, however, no official statistics on
Residing in Burundi these flows are available yet.

Refugees 24,967

Asylum Seekers 6,338 Current migration challenges

Returned Refugees 32,362
One of the key migration challenges Burundi faces today is
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) 100,000 the resettlement and reintegration of Burundian migrants
who return from their refuges in neighbouring countries.
Total Population of Concern 163,667
Return migration is a complex and sensitive issue in Burundi
due to already-existing problems of overpopulation and land
Originating from Burundi scarcity (Fransen & Ong’ayo, 2010). Many returnees, especially
from the 1972 refugee wave, have found their homes and land
Refugees 94,239
confiscated by others and face problems of unemployment
Asylum Seekers 4,864 and social reintegration. Returnees are therefore recognized
by international agents, such as the UNHCR, as a vulnerable
Returned Refugees 32,362
group, and thus find some support from international actors in
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) 100,000 their return efforts.

Total Population of Concern 231,465

Another challenge the country faces is how to actively
involve its diaspora in reconstruction efforts and economic
Source: UNHCR, 2010
development. As described above, the Burundian diaspora
has been consistently engaged with their homeland. After
An important current migration flow affecting Burundi is the 2005 their role changed, however, from being political actors
large influx of returnees. After the peace agreement between to potential players in nation-building and reconstruction
the last rebel group Palipehutu-FNL and the Burundian efforts (Turner, 2008a). The Burundian diaspora has much
government in 2003 and the successful election in 2005, to offer, both in terms of monetary support and the transfer
a large voluntary return-migration flow emerged from of knowledge and skills. Many members of the diaspora are
neighbouring countries Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic highly skilled and specialised in health and education (Ratha
Republic of the Congo. According to UNCHR statistics, & Xu, 2008). From within the Burundian diaspora, efforts are
more than 500,000 former refugees returned to Burundi being made to reunite diaspora members to contribute to
between 2002 and 2010. Over six percent of Burundi’s current the communities and provinces they left behind as well. In
population consists of people who had fled the country and Belgium, for example, the Burundian diaspora, which is mainly
returned in this period (UNHCR, 2010). comprised of refugees stemming from the 1972 and 1993
refugee waves, is becoming better-structured and organised to
A small but substantial proportion of Burundian refugees address collective reconstruction efforts (IOM, 2009).
fled to western countries, establishing an active and engaged
Burundian diaspora network around the world in countries The issue of diaspora involvement in reconstruction efforts
such as Belgium, the Netherlands, the United States, and has recently risen on the agenda of Burundian policy makers,
Canada (Fransen & Ong’ayo, 2010; Turner, 2008a; 2008b). An which has followed the example set by neighbouring Rwanda.
estimation of the size of the Burundian diaspora is difficult to The migration policy adopted by Rwanda in 2009 focuses
provide as this depends heavily on the immigration statistics specifically on issues such as developing the tourism sector,
of the different migrant-receiving countries. attracting skilled migrants, stimulating investment by its

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diaspora, and creating competitiveness in the private sector Figure 1: Geographic Location of Burundi
in order to stimulate economic development (Republic of
Rwanda, 2009). Burundi is now following Rwanda’s lead by
creating a formal infrastructure to manage and facilitate
diaspora involvement to boost its economy.

Actors involved in migration policy in Burundi

In Burundi there are both state and non-state actors

currently active in the area of migration. The main state
actors originally included a conglomeration of ministries
and departments. Migration management was mainly
addressed by the Ministries of Public Security and Interior.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has created the Directorate of
Diaspora, and the Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA)
programme established by the IOM was run locally by the
Ministry of Labour and Civil Service. Recently, however, the
Ministry of Public Security in Burundi has been given exclusive
responsibility to address migration management issues and to
construct the migration and diaspora involvement policy.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

has been the traditional international organisation working
with migrants in Burundi. Other international organizations
are also currently active in Burundi as well, however. Recently, According to the 2009 Assessment Paper written by the
the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has opened IOM, the priorities in the field of migration are not defined
an office in Bujumbura. Other United Nations (UN) agencies by the Burundian Government (IOM, 2009). The same report
are on the fringe of operations. Agencies such as the United explains that there are seven departments directly affected
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) becomes involved when by migration (although this does not necessarily mean that
migration deals with women and children, the United Nations migration is in their mandates): the Ministry of Interior; the
Development Programme (UNDP) becomes engaged when Ministry of Public Security; the Ministry of External Relations
there is a development aspect to the migration dynamics, and International Cooperation; the Ministry of the Affairs of
and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) steps up to the East African Community; the Department of Justice; the
address integrated rural villages for returned refugees. Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Security, and; the
UNHCR has been the international organization traditionally Ministry of National Solidarity, Repatriation of Refugees and
working in the area of migration in Burundi due to the forced Social Reintegration. Other ministries (such as the Ministry
nature of the largest migration flows over the last four decades of Planning and Reconstruction; the Ministry of Finance; the
owing to ongoing conflict and civil war in the country. UNHCR Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism; the Ministry of
in Burundi deals primarily with refugees and return. The Decentralization and Municipal Development; the Ministry of
organization also deals with repatriation of (mainly) refugees Youth, Sports and Culture, and; the Ministry of Information,
and reintegration issues, and it has established eight integrated Communication and Relations with Parliament) could play a
rural villages (previously referred to as peace villages) with role in the future but are currently not directly involved. As
UNDP, UNICEF and FAO to support refugee returnees who lack stated earlier, the ministry of Public Security is now the main
access to land. The International Organization for Migration government body to develop the migration policy.
(IOM) conducted a scoping assessment before opening an The Ministry of Foreign Affairs created the Directorate of
office in Bujumbura in early 2010. The main tasks of the IOM Diaspora in October 2009, which became staffed in January
include family reunification and resettlement of individuals 2010. The Directorate is very young and seems to be a step in
like in many other countries where the IOM is active. At the the right direction with regards to migration and development
same time, the IOM is charged with the task of assisting the policy making, but it lacks the capacity to be effective. The
government in migration and development policy development Directorate of Diaspora in Burundi is currently run by a
and capacity-building in migration management. department of only three people.

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Current migration policy initiatives in Burundi

The Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) program is

an Africa-wide program run by the IOM in conjunction with
local governments, and its primary objective is to engage
highly-skilled members of the diaspora in periods of short-
term return for capacity building. The MIDA program in
Burundi has existed since 2001, is run through the Ministry of
Labour and Civil Service, and is part of the “MIDA Great Lakes”
program. The program is currently in its fourth phase and is
run in conjunction with the IOM in Kinshasa and IOM Brussels,
where it is also financed. In the case of Burundi, MIDA is
focused on the diaspora in Europe and particularly in Belgium. Picture by Nora Stel
The first three phases of the program, from 2002-2008, dealt
exclusively with education projects. Currently, there are eight migration in Burundi. Their report explains how important it is
projects running in the areas of education, health, and rural to reach out to the diaspora, to explain to them what is needed
development. A total of 131 people have moved through the in the country, and to disseminate information. Members of
program since its inception in 2001, and 22 will have completed the diaspora can be mobilized, and their contributions can be
the program in 2010 alone. targeted specifically, when this strategy of engaging them in
the policy development process is employed. An important
aspect of diaspora engagement is, thus, communication.
Future perspectives on migration policy in Burundi Another important strategy for the Burundian government
is to invest in remittance channels. Costs have to be reduced
A few years after the conflict in Burundi came to an end, the and safety guaranteed in order to create competition in the
Burundian government is now ready to explore possibilities remittances market, which, in turn, will stimulate and facilitate
to tap into the potential of its migrants abroad. Although remittance flows from the Burundian disapora as well as
migration and development policy-making in Burundi is still investments and the return of diaspora members.
very young, the future looks bright in that many agencies and
the government are beginning to address diaspora engagement. For all initiatives to succeed, however, it is important that
Even though no formal structure for diaspora engagement Burundi’s security situation remains stable and becomes more
exists yet, the diaspora is now increasingly recognized as an robust in the near future. In the years after the democratic
important partner in re-building the war-torn country. Within elections, human rights abuses and corruption in the
the Burundian diaspora the willingness to contribute to nation- government were still reported (see e.g. HRW, 2008; HRW,
building is present as well (Turner, 2008a), which provides a 2009; Lemarchand, 2006). Recently, news reports have provided
promising ground for future cooperation. The level of willingness indications for the emergence of new rebel groups in the north
of the diaspora, however, heavily depends on the political and of the country. These developments form a serious threat to
security context in Burundi, which is still fragile. the country in general and to Burundi’s efforts to create an
effective and sustainable migration policy in particular.
Thus far, the appropriate measures have been taken to move
toward a more coherent migration/migration and development
policy. Trust is a major issue in Burundi and within its internally- Acknowledgements
divided diaspora (Turner, 2008b), however, and having effective
policies will also depend on security and trust-building to The authors would like to express their gratitude to all the
foster cohesive action. For effective policy making, cooperation representatives of the Burundian government, international
between ministries and among different organizations such organizations, and academics in Burundi for their contribution
as IOM and UNHCR is important. Especially for migration to to this policy brief and a special thank you to Timon van Lidth
contribute to development, it is important that Burundi adopts and Michaella Vanore. This work is part of a larger project on
clear migration policies and builds an institutional framework in migration and development funded by the Dutch Ministry of
which migration is specifically addressed (IOM, 2009). Foreign Affairs (the IS Academy on Migration and Development
for more details see
The IOM has already set out a number of recommendations www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Schools/MGSoG/
and guidelines to help harness the development potential of ProjectPages/ISAcademieMigrationDevelopment.htm).

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References
Fransen, S. & Ong’ayo, A. (2010). Migration in Burundi: History, Current Trends, and Future Prospects. Paper Series: Migration and
Development Country Profiles. Maastricht: Maastricht Graduate School of Governance.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) (2008). ‘Every Morning they Beat me’: Police Abuses in Burundi. New York: Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) (2009). Pursuit of Power: Political Violence and Repression in Burundi. New York: Human Rights Watch.
International Organization for Migration (IOM) (2009). Evaluation du Cadre Politique, Législatif et Administratif de Gestion des Migrations en
République du Burundi. Geneva: IOM.
Lemarchand, R. (2006). Burundi’s Endangered Transition: FAST Country Risk Profile, Burundi. Bern: Swisspeace.
Ratha, D. & Xu, Z. (2008). Migration and Remittances Factbook 2008. Washington, D. C.: World Bank.
Republic of Rwanda (2009). National Migration Policy and Strategies. Kigali: National Security Service Directorate General Immigration and
Emigration.
Turner, S. (2008a). Cyber Wars of Words: Expressing the Unspeakable in Burundi’s Diaspora. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 34(7),
1161-1180.
Turner, S. (2008b). The Waxing and Waning of the Political Field in Burundi and its Diaspora. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 31(
31(4), 742-765.

Authors

Sonja Fransen, Research Fellow, Dr. Melissa Siegel, Assistant Professor and
Maastricht Graduate School Migration Studies Programme Manager,
of Governance Maastricht Graduate School
of Governance

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