Catholic Church in Burundi Supporting Over 80,000 Congolese Refugees

The Catholic Church in Burundi is working with humanitarian organizations to assist more than 80,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to Bishop Salvator Niciteretse.

Bishop Niciteretse, the bishop of the Diocese of Bururi and coordinator of the International Forum of Catholic Action for Africa, told Agenzia Fides that the Church is providing aid in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Children’s Fund. He noted that most of the refugees originate from Uvira, the capital of South Kivu Province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The bishop stated that his diocese previously hosted more than 30,000 refugees before they were moved to other parts of Burundi. The displacement follows ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.