Bishops Renew Call to Reopen Rwanda-Burundi Borders
Catholic bishops of Rwanda and Burundi urged both governments to continue dialogue on reopening land borders closed for nearly three years.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Catholicism
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The Association of Episcopal Conferences of Rwanda and Burundi, meeting in Bujumbura, renewed its appeal for reopening the shared land borders. ACOREB issued the statement on November 12, 2026.
Why it matters
The bishops say the border closure continues to affect the populations of both countries, and the appeal adds religious leadership to pressure for dialogue between the two governments. There are no immediate indications that the appeal will be addressed soon.
The statement is a regional church-body appeal issued after a scheduled twice-yearly meeting, not a government decision. The closure has lasted nearly three years, and the extraction reports no specific reopening date or conditions.
The players
Association of Episcopal Conferences of Rwanda and Burundi (ACOREB)
ACOREB is the regional body that unites the Catholic bishops' conferences of Rwanda and Burundi and meets twice a year to address shared concerns.
Cardinal Antoine Kambanda
Cardinal Kambanda is the Archbishop of Kigali and president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Rwanda.
The details
Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali and president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Rwanda, is part of the association that issued the appeal. The statement calls on the governments of Rwanda and Burundi to continue dialogue on reopening the borders.
Timeline
March 2026: ACOREB held its previous meeting in Rwanda, where the bishops called for reopening.
November 12, 2026: ACOREB issued the statement calling for border reopening following its meeting in Bujumbura.
November 13, 2026: The renewed appeal was reported publicly.
Roadmap
ACOREB's joint statements give the two national Catholic hierarchies a shared voice on cross-border issues that their governments have not resolved. This appeal repeats the position the association set out in March, showing a sustained church-led push rather than a one-time reaction.
Families and traders who live along the Rwanda-Burundi frontier continue to face the closure, and the bishops' appeal does not change border crossing rules. Any reopening would depend on decisions by the two governments, which the statement asks them to pursue through dialogue.
The takeaway
Regional church bodies can keep cross-border issues visible even when governments are slow to act, but reopening the border will still depend on dialogue between Rwanda and Burundi. Readers following the story should watch for any official government response to the bishops' appeal.
Further reading
For more on how church leaders engage with regional politics, see Catholicism.
Source note: This article includes information reported by IGIHE.
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