DAR ES SALAAMbenjibananascrypto, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Around 1.1 million Burundian refugees sheltered in camps in western Tanzania have been voluntarily repatriated to their country since 2017, a Burundian official said Saturday.

Theophile Ndarufatiye, permanent executive secretary at Burundi's Ministry of the Interior, Community Development, and Public Security, said about 100,000 Burundian refugees were still sheltered in Nduta and Nyarugusu refugee camps in Kigoma region, western Tanzania.

Ndarufatiye made the remarks in a meeting with Tanzania's Minister for Home Affairs Hamad Masauni, which was also attended by officials from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The two officials agreed that the remaining Burundian refugees should be repatriated voluntarily by Dec. 31, 2024.

Ndarufatiye thanked the government of Tanzania for accommodating Burundian refugees since time immemorial.

The voluntary repatriation exercise of Burundian refugees started in September 2017 after leaders from Tanzania and Burundi expressed satisfaction over peace restoration in Burundi.■