Global Research: 29-06-2025,
Final Declaration of the General Conference on the Question of Rwandan Refugees
Brussels, Saturday, 21 June 2025
I. Preamble
At the conclusion of a day of reflection, analysis, and testimony, we, the participants of the General Conference on the Question of Rwandan Refugees, issue the following Declaration, addressed:
- To the African Union, SADC, EAC, and the mediating States engaged in regional peace processes, urging them to recognize Rwandan refugees as legitimate stakeholders in any sustainable political solution;
- To the United Nations and the UNHCR, calling for effective protection of the rights of Rwandan refugees, condemnation of forced repatriations, and support for their political participation;
- To the governments of host countries, requesting they facilitate refugee self-organization and ensure their legal and physical safety;
- To the International Criminal Court (ICC) and international justice mechanisms, to investigate crimes committed against Rwandan refugees and displaced persons in the DRC;
- And to global public opinion, to stand in solidarity with those who have lived for too long in the shadow of exile.
According to UNHCR figures, nearly 250,000 Rwandans currently live with refugee status. However, this figure is grossly underestimated. It excludes the hundreds of thousands of exiles who were forced to adopt foreign nationalities or residence permits due to lack of alternatives, as well as those who live without any legal status—often under false identities or as stateless persons, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.