Rwanda receives first group of migrants under US transfer programme
Rwanda had earlier announced on August 5 that it would accept up to 250 deportees from the United States, with each case subject to approval.
Rwanda has confirmed the arrival of seven migrants deported from the United States, the first batch under a new agreement with Washington that allows individuals to be relocated to Kigali.
Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the group arrived in mid-August after being vetted, signalling the start of the deal.
Makolo explained that three of the migrants had requested to be repatriated to their countries of origin, while four had chosen to remain in Rwanda to start afresh. The authorities did not disclose their nationalities.
Rwanda had earlier announced on August 5 that it would accept up to 250 deportees from the United States, with each case subject to approval.
The first group has been placed under the care of an international agency and is being supported through regular monitoring by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and local social services.
The IOM confirmed to AFP that its staff had assessed the immediate needs of the new arrivals but declined to provide further information.
The move follows Kigali’s failed 2022 deal with the United Kingdom, which was scrapped after a leadership change in London. Rwanda has defended its decision to work with Washington, noting that displacement is part of the nation’s history.
“Nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement,” Makolo said earlier this month, stressing that the country would provide accommodation, healthcare and training to the migrants.
Still, the arrangement has stirred criticism. A Rwandan activist, who asked not to be named due to the climate for dissent, claimed the deal was less about solidarity and more about securing political and financial gains. “Accepting these deportees also gives Rwanda an advantage in the ongoing peace negotiations regarding the conflict in DRC,” they said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is currently engaged in peace talks with the M23 armed group, which Kigali is accused of backing. The militia launched a major offensive this year, seizing large areas in the east of the country.
The Trump administration has defended sending migrants to third countries, arguing that such measures are necessary when home governments reject their nationals. Human rights experts, however, warn that these practices could violate international law by exposing deportees to abuse or mistreatment.
Rwanda, a nation of 13 million in Africa’s Great Lakes region, is often praised for its stability and development, but its record on freedoms continues to draw scrutiny. The British deal faced sustained legal opposition and was widely condemned by rights organisations before being abandoned.
