The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which escalated in April 2023, has claimed more than 15,500 lives to date. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), this war has led to a massive displacement crisis, with over 6.1 million people displaced within Sudan and more than 1.5 million seeking refuge in other countries.
UNHCR's Rwanda branch reports a significant increase in Sudanese asylum seekers in Rwanda in 2024. As of August 6, 2024, 89 Sudanese refugees had arrived, including 58 individuals from 17 families living in Kigali and another 31 individuals from 20 families residing in the Mahama Refugee Camp in Kirehe District.
Among the 718, 354 individuals are from 197 families settling in Kigali and 364 individuals from 209 families residing in the Mahama camp.
In addition to these refugees, Rwanda received over 200 students from the University of Medical Sciences and Technology in Sudan at the end of 2023. These students continued their education at the University of Rwanda, with the partnership expected to extend to over 7,000 students. Prior to this, Rwanda had also welcomed refugees from Afghanistan.
Rwanda is currently home to over 130,000 refugees, many of whom have been in the country for more than a decade. Approximately 90% of these refugees reside in camps such as Kiziba, Nyabiheke, Kigeme, Mugombwa, and Mahama, while others live in various urban areas.
Rwanda has consistently emphasized the need for long-term solutions to the refugee and migrant crisis. In recent years, the country received thousands of migrants evacuated from camps in Libya, with 90% of them resettled in other continents. These migrants have come from various countries, including Eritrea, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/influx-of-sudanese-asylum-seekers-in-rwanda-continues-surge
