OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
25 June - 1 July 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Activities and Updates
Repatriation of Burundian refugees

Over the reporting week, 201 Burundian refugees returned to their 
country of origin from Tanzania. Since January 2007, UNHCR has 
registered 4,200 returnees while 343,199 Burundians have returned since 
the beginning of this UNHCR assisted repatriation process in 2002. 
Meanwhile, UNHCR transferred 495 Congolese refugees from Bujumbura to 
Gasorwe (Muyinga) and Musasa (Ngozi). In 2007, a total of 3,326 
Congolese refugees were transferred.

Update on Burundians expelled from Tanzania

During the week under review the Government project for the 
reintegration of war-affected persons (PARESI) registered 90 persons (47 
families) expelled from Tanzania: 47 at the entry point of Kobero 
(Muyinga) and 43 in Mishiha (Cankuzo). Since January 2007, PARESI has 
recorded 3,986 expelled persons (2,118 families).

Update on food aid distribution

WFP continued to provide food assistance through target distributions. 
Over the reporting week, a total of 567 MT of food assistance was 
delivered to 65,797 vulnerable persons. It should be noted that the low 
tonnage distributed during this period was due to the fact that, this 
food aid distribution coincided with the period of harvest when most 
families can fully meet their food needs. For this reason, WFP 
considerably reduced the amount of target distributions in most parts of 
the country.

Education

In an effort to support implementation of the free primary education 
programme as decided by Burundi's Head of state at the end of 2005, 
UNICEF distributed school equipments (benches, chairs and tables) to 
primary schools in the provinces of Rutana and Cankuzo. This activity is 
scheduled to have been completed by the beginning of the next school 
year which starts in September 2007.

Agriculture / Food Security

With financial support from the European Commission, FAO/Emergency 
Rehabilitation and Coordination Unit (FAO/ERCU) launched a project for 
the restoration of sustainable food security (PARSAD). The project aims 
at supporting community-based associations in the provinces of Cankuzo, 
Muyinga, Rutana and Ruyigi for the production of quality seeds and the 
setting up of seed warehouses as well as manufacturing sites during 
agricultural seasons 2008-A, 2008-B and 2009-A. To this end FAO/ERCU and 
the European Commission jointly organized a four-day mission (26 - 
30June) in the provinces of Rutana and Ruyigi. The mission's objective 
was to identify field partners, sites for the multiplication of seeds 
and the beneficiary community-based associations. In collaboration with 
agronomists from the DPAE and NGOs (CORD, SOPRAD, LVIA, ACF and Maison 
Shalom) operating in the said provinces, identified partners including, 
the following sites were visited: Bigina, Bugiga, Gitaba and Mukazye in 
the province of Rutana and Ntanga, Muriza, Kigarika, Nyamitobo in the 
province of Ruyigi. The priority crops/plants which were selected are: 
rice, maize, soya bean, sorghum, peanuts, potatoes, cassava and sweet 
potatoes.

For more information: E-mail: ocha-burundi@un.org, Tel: +257 22 205000 
Ext. 5542

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