Rwanda is once again positioning itself as a reliable partner for Western powers, this time by agreeing to take in deportees from the United States.
Under a deal signed in June, the East African nation will receive an initial group of 250 individuals, with the possibility of expanding that number by mutual agreement, Reuters reports.
The arrangement is part of Washington’s broader strategy to outsource elements of its migration enforcement, reviving a “safe third country” model that gained traction under the Trump administration. In exchange, African countries are offered concessions such as softer visa policies or increased development aid.
Rwanda’s government says it will screen each case before accepting individuals, and will provide housing, workforce training, and healthcare to help them resettle. The US will fund the program through an unspecified grant. The agreement excludes deportees with unresolved prison sentences or convictions for child sex offences.
This isn’t the first time Rwanda has played host to deportees. It previously signed a controversial migration pact with the UK.
The US deal arrives as Kigali also deepens its diplomatic credentials, having recently signed a peace accord with the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a US-brokered attempt to ease long-simmering tensions in the Great Lakes region.
