Congolese Refugees Return Home as Peace Efforts Continue

0:00It's April 24th. You're listening to Canada News today, AI-powered local news. I'm Corey with the story. Thousands of Congolese refugees are heading back home from Burundi to Eastern Congo after Rwandan-backed M23 rebels pulled out of the key town of Uvira. In the latest group, 470 people crossed the border this week, part of at least 33,000 who returned since March. According to the United Nations, the rebels grab big chunks of North and South Kivu problems last year, but backed off Uvira under heavy international pressure. Now, U.S. President Donald Trump is stepping in as a peace broker, pushing Congo and Rwanda toward a lasting ceasefire while eyeing access to Congo's. Rich minerals that power everything from jets to cell phones. Refugees at Burundi's Busuma camp set up in December 2025 when fighting force the border shut, faced food shortages, and tough conditions. But folks like Returning Hassan Massimo are thrilled, saying they're joyful

1:01and thankful for the reopen crossing. Burundi still hosts over 200,000 Congolese refugees with 66,000 at that camp alone. UN officials are running the show carefully, sending two bus convoys a week, and only to safe zones where local government is back in place. Voluntary returns kicked off in March, building confidence for the rest. As Congo's mineral-packed east battles over 100 armed groups after decades of chaos, these homecoming signal a fragile hope, but the push for. Real peace rolls on.