KIGALI (Dawan Africa) – Rwanda has signed an agreement to accept as many as 250 migrants deported from the United States, joining a small number of African countries that have agreed to resettle individuals removed under U.S. immigration enforcement actions.
The announcement was made Tuesday by the Rwandan government, which said that each individual case will be subject to approval by Rwandan authorities before resettlement can proceed.
“Under the agreement, Rwanda has the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement,” said Yolande Makolo, spokesperson for the Rwandan government. “Those approved will be provided with workforce training, health care, and accommodation support to jump start their lives in Rwanda, giving them the opportunity to contribute to one of the fastest growing economies in the world over the last decade.”
Makolo said Rwanda’s history of displacement and its national values of reintegration and rehabilitation played a role in the decision.
The deal makes Rwanda the third African country—after Eswatini and South Sudan—to agree to host U.S. deportees, particularly under policies pursued during the Trump administration, which sought to deport individuals it labeled as criminals or gang-affiliated to third countries.
The U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld the government’s authority to remove migrants without granting them the chance to appeal or present fear-of-harm claims, paving the way for more third-country deportations.
When contacted for comment, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe declined to provide details about the terms of the agreement. However, an unnamed official familiar with the matter told local media that the U.S. could provide Rwanda with grant funding in return.
The move echoes a 2023 agreement between Rwanda and the United Kingdom, in which asylum seekers arriving in the UK via irregular routes would be transferred to Rwanda for processing. That deal was terminated in 2024 by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, which cited legal and ethical concerns.
No timeline has been given for when the first group of deportees is expected to arrive in Rwanda, and details about the legal mechanisms involved remain undisclosed.
Source:Anadolu Agency (AA).
