Refugee reintegration and administrative action in Burundi: at the crossroads of public policy, practices experiences returnees

Using a socio-anthropological approach, this study analyzes the reintegration of Burundian refugees in the commune of Kabezi after the 2015 crisis, focusing on the role of local administrative action. Through an ethnographic survey based on observation and interviews, the article highlights the gap between institutional repatriation arrangements and the social realities experienced by returnees.The results show that reintegration remains largely incomplete, marked by economic insecurity, food insecurity, land disputes and weakened social ties. Institutional support appears limited and temporary, leaving households, particularly women, to develop informal survival strategies. Lastly, the study underlines that reintegration is not just a matter of physical return, but implies sustainable social reconstruction based on access to rights, means of subsistence and social recognition.