Rwanda to Bring in 250 Individuals
In a new development, Rwanda has agreed to accept up to 250 immigrants deported from the United States as part of a broader U.S. policy of sending deportees to third countries. This agreement, which allows Rwanda to approve each individual proposed for resettlement, promises these deportees support including workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation to help them integrate and contribute to Rwanda’s economy.
This migration deal follows similar arrangements with South Sudan and Eswatini, as Rwanda joins these African countries in accepting deportees from the U.S. However, it's worth noting that this agreement is separate from a previous one with the UK, which was scrapped after a change of government in London last year.
The agreement has raised concerns among human rights advocates who warn about potential due process violations and jeopardizing migrants' rights under the Trump administration’s intensified deportation campaign. Previous Rwanda-deportee deals, such as the one with the UK, have faced legal challenges around migrant safety.
Under international law, deporting individuals to countries where they fear torture, disappearance, or arbitrary killing without a prior legal procedure is prohibited. Rwanda, with approximately 13 million inhabitants, is considered relatively politically stable but has faced criticism for its human rights record in recent years.
The five deportees recently sent from the USA to Eswatini were from Vietnam, Laos, Yemen, Cuba, and Jamaica. The USA has also deported eight migrants to South Sudan in early July, with only one person from East Africa.
This migration deal is part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to manage migration by offloading deportees to third countries, raising ongoing debates about human rights and international migration responsibilities.
The government in Kigali reserves the right to review each person whose resettlement is proposed, and no details about the new agreement have been provided yet. Yolande Makolo, the government spokeswoman, made this announcement to the AFP news agency.
It's important to note that only four people were sent from the UK to Rwanda over a two-year period under the previous agreement. The former Conservative government in the UK wanted to deport irregular migrants to Rwanda, but the project was criticized by Keir Starmer, the current British prime minister, after taking office. The project cost the UK government around 836 million euros.
The United Nations has also criticized the deportations from the USA to third countries, with UN experts raising concerns about the human rights implications of such policies. The government in Kigali will likely face scrutiny as it moves forward with this new agreement, as questions about the safety and rights of the deportees continue to be raised.
- The employment policy in Rwanda, as stated in the community policy, will likely provide workforce training for the immigrants who are being accepted from the United States, as was indicated in the agreement to offer support.
- The ongoing migration deal between Rwanda and the United States has sparked concerns among human rights advocates, who are cautioning against potential due process violations and jeopardizing migrants' rights within the framework of the Trump administration's increased deportation efforts.
