Huge relief as EU pledges Sh780bn for refugees in three Tanzania camps

Germany ambassador to Tanzania, Dr Detlef Wachter

What you need to know:

  • Half of that amount will be spent on improving social services in all villages surrounding the camps, according the EU delegation that visited Nduta refugee camp in Kibondo District.

Kibondo. The European Union (EU) has pledged to release Sh780 billion aid to refugees living in three camps in Kigoma Region.

Half of that amount will be spent on improving social services in all villages surrounding the camps, according the EU delegation that visited Nduta refugee camp in Kibondo District.

The package comes as a huge relief to the camp that accommodates over 110,000 refugees from Burundi.

Germany ambassador to Tanzania, Dr Detlef Wachter, said Sh390 billion would be allocated to refugees and some other Sh390 billion is for surrounding communities.

“We want to see the lives of villagers surrounding the camp are also improved by having better infrastructure and other social services.

They have to get rid of poverty line,” he said. He hailed the government for continuing to accept and host the refugees for over four decades now despite allegations that some of them are engaging in activities that pose a threat to the environment.

According to him, the EU would provide the refugees with modern cookers that are environmentally-friendly, to reduce the impact of wanton tree -felling for firewood.

“There is a shortage of budget from some of the development partners, but we have to organise ourselves and ensure that we fulfil our promises, the sole aim is to help these refugees,” he added.

The EU ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Roeland Van de Geer, said it was also time for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to start supporting the villages nearby the refugee camps.

“Tanzania has been in the frontline on the welcoming refugees since 1972, despite a number of challenges it faced; that is why we have decided to issue our support that would help to reduce the burden to the government,” he explained.

Acting Kibondo District Commissioner Gabriel Chitupila thanked the EU delegation for the support and its commitment to helping Tanzanians living next to the refugees camps.

“This will also help to improve the good relationship between the camps and the villagers,” he said. He suggested the money could be used to improve social services such as health, water, education and environment.

Mr Nizigiyimana Franswa, one of the refugees at the Nduta camp, said the main challenge they were facing was shortage of food, furniture and blankets.

“The shortage of food has forced some of us to steal crops from farms near our camps, and most of the time, we are eating one type of food” he said.

Kigoma has three refugee camps -- Nyarugusu, Nduta and Mtendeli. There are more than 350,000 refugees from Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan.