From Roll-Out to Reverse: Understanding Tanzania’s Withdrawal from the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF)

Abstract This article tries to bring some clarity to the dynamics of current Tanzanian politics that led to the sudden withdrawal of the country from the voluntary commitment to be a Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) roll-out country and, through this, an international forerunner in the application of the new comprehensive and multi-stakeholder approach embedded in the ‘New Way of Working’. Specifically, the article will look into the possible underlying factors behind the decision to retreat from the application of the CRRF and highlight the potential implications of this course of action. Finally, in light of the above, the article will discuss lessons learned that could inform the implementation of the CRRF in other roll-out countries and suggest possible ways forward on how to strategically work with durable solutions in Tanzania beyond the option of voluntary repatriation.