On June 20, 2025, on World Refugee Day, Rwanda joined the international community in honoring the strength, dignity, and resilience of the millions of people forced to flee their homes.
Under the theme “Solidarity with Refugees,” the national commemoration was held at the Kigali Convention Center, bringing together a wide range of actors: government officials, humanitarian agencies, refugee representatives, civil society, and international partners.
A global crisis with many faces
In a world marked by forced displacement on a historic scale, humanitarian situations are multiplying on every continent. Millions of people are uprooted, evacuated, or displaced in Sudan, Ukraine, the DRC, Burundi, Gaza, Israel, and elsewhere.
In response to these tragedies, the UNHCR representative in Rwanda made a passionate appeal: “Solidarity is not just a word, it is a compass, a daily commitment to building communities where every displaced person feels safe, included and valued.”
The Rwandan model: protection, inclusion and action
Rwanda, which hosts more than 135,000 refugees, mainly from Burundi and the DRC, is recognized for its inclusive policy and sustainable solutions. Refugees there enjoy fundamental rights, including access to public health care and education, freedom of movement, the right to work, and increasing access to financial services and higher education.
Alongside MINEMA, the ministry responsible for refugees, and UNHCR, financial partners such as Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) shared the findings of a report highlighting the progress made in the financial inclusion of refugees and the challenges that remain.
International cooperation and sustainable solutions
A further step forward was taken on June 25, 2025, with the World Bank’s announcement of $66.7 million (approximately 95 billion Rwandan francs) in funding for the “Jya Mbere II” project. This program aims to strengthen the socio-economic inclusion of refugees and host communities in six districts of the country and will benefit more than 380,000 people, including 115,000 refugees.
“This project reflects Rwanda’s leadership in implementing sustainable solutions. We are investing in services that create dignity, autonomy, and shared prosperity,” said Mathew Stephens, social development expert at the World Bank.
The FMV stands in solidarity with displaced persons
The Forum de Mémoire Vigilante (FMV) took part in the national celebration. In a public statement, its legal representative praised “the work of MINEMA, UNHCR, and their partners for their unwavering support for refugees.”
This presence is part of the FMV’s broader mission: to connect memory, dignity, and solidarity, but also to support citizen dynamics of inclusion, social justice, and harmonious coexistence.
“Including refugees means expanding the space for living together. It means building, together, a more just and inclusive society based on ‘kwigira’ autonomy for all,” emphasized a member of the FMV at the end of the ceremony.
The FMV took this opportunity to detail its activities in support of disadvantaged populations, including refugees: schooling for children, and intervention in the psychological, social, medical, and legal fields. All these actions are part of a vision to eradicate poverty in all its forms, meet the fundamental needs of the population, and ensure prosperity for all.