The Minister of Disaster Management and Refugees Affairs, Gen. Marcel Gatsinzi.
The Rwandan government is in negotiations with the United Nation High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to activate the Cessation Clause.
If declared, it will be implemented effective June 30. The clause was initially supposed to be implemented on December 31, this year.
The UNHCR Cessation Clause stipulates that, after its implementation a person recognized as a refugee must either voluntarily return to the country of origin or apply for residence in the host country.
The Minister of Disaster Management and Refugees Affairs, Gen. Marcel Gatsinzi, confirmed that the Rwandan Ambassador to Switzerland, Soline Nyirahabimana, will today meet UN officials to discuss the issue.
During the recent ninth tripartite meeting between Uganda, Rwanda and UNHCR in Kigali, the UNHRC Country Representative, Neimah Warsame, noted the extension of the implementation of the clause would not affect scheduled declaration timing.
An estimated 70,000 Rwandans live as refugees in different parts of the world, while more than 3.4 million have voluntarily repatriated since 1994.
African countries that host the majority of Rwandan refugees are Congo Brazzaville, DRC, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi Kenya and South Africa.
