Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have set a roadmap of activities that will lead to effective implementation of the Cessation Clause for thousands of Rwandan refugees still living in DRC.
The roadmap was the milestone recommendation adopted in a two-day Tripartite Meeting between Rwanda, DRC and UNHCR concluded in Kigali on June 21, 2013.
During that meeting, hard discussions between experts of all parts focused on the implementation of the Cessation Clause for Rwandan refugees recommended by the UNHCR to take effect on June 30, 2013.The repatriation of repatriation of Congolese refugees hosted in Rwanda was also discussed during this meeting.
It was agreed that within three months from July, the DRC will conduct comprehensive registration of all Rwandan refugees still living on its soil and collect their repatriation intention.
A joint technical team will elaborate a repatriation plan based on collected data, which will be validated in October by all parts.
The recommendation to conduct comprehensive registration of all Rwandan refugees before the invocation of the Cessation Clause was taken considering challenges presented by the DRC regarding big numbers of refugees hosted in this country, localisation and other specific complexities.
The Delegation of the DRC expressed great satisfaction for the adopted recommendations stressing that they will help this country to implement the Cessation Clause in dignified manner.
“I have the pleasure to express my satisfaction to see this meeting lead to the same understanding by all parts in order to end this situation of refugees that has lasted longer, in a way that helps to avoid problems related to irregular migrants and stateless people for DRC, by precipitating the invocation of the Cessation Clause,” Declared Mr. Richard Muyej, DRC Minister of Internal Security, Decentralization and traditional affairs, in his closing remarks.
On the behalf of the Government of Rwanda, Minister of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Mukantabana Seraphine said that the roadmap agreed upon with DRC is considerably a positive step to reach to durable solutions to the problems of Rwandan refugees. She made clear that the invocation of the Cessation Clause does not mean that all Rwandan refugees will be obliged to return one day. According to Minister Mukantabana, the Cessation Clause provides different options to be chosen by refugees including either voluntary repatriation or local integration in countries of asylum. She further explained that after the deadline set by the UNHCR, the implementation of the Cessation Clause will be done progressively depending on countries legal systems and numbers of refugees they respectively host.
“The coming into effect of the Cessation Clause for Rwandan refugees remains consistent and valid on June 30, 2013, Minister Mukantabana told the press. Some countries are advanced and have already announced their readiness to invoke the Cessation Clause on the set date, but for other countries still presenting challenges, we shall continue talks to define together practical modalities of implementation for each country.”
Minister Mukantabana stressed that the DRC is tough the most advanced in repatriation of Rwandan refugees since about 90% of Rwandan refugees who return at a daily basis come that country.
Minister Mukantabana also reassured that Rwanda will continue to support all initiatives meant to restore peace and stability in DRC, so that Congolese refugees living in Rwanda can go back to their country.
On June 18, 2013, a bilateral meeting between Rwanda and the Republic of Congo was concluded in Brazzaville, at the end of which, that country declared its readiness to invoke the Cessation Clause on the due date.