Rwanda has received its first group of deportees from the United States under a new bilateral arrangement, the government confirmed on Thursday.
Government spokesperson, Yolande Makolo told AFP that seven vetted migrants arrived in Kigali in mid-August.
She added that “three of the individuals have expressed a desire to return to their home countries, while four wish to stay and build lives in Rwanda.”
The nationalities of the deportees were not disclosed.
Rwanda had earlier announced that it would accept up to 250 migrants from the US, noting that it would reserve the right to approve each case.
Makolo explained that the new arrivals were “accommodated by an international organisation with visits by the International Organisation on Migration and Rwandan social services.”
The deal forms part of Washington’s wider push to relocate deportees to third countries, a strategy first pursued under former President Donald Trump.
Similar arrangements were previously explored with South Sudan and Eswatini.
Rwanda has defended the US scheme, drawing on its own historical experiences. “Nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement,” Makolo said earlier this month, stressing that migrants would be provided with training, healthcare, and accommodation.
This is not the first time Kigali has entered into such an agreement.
A controversial deal with the United Kingdom to resettle asylum seekers collapsed last year after a change of government in London.
While Rwandan officials insisted that the country is one of Africa’s most stable states, rights experts warned that such deportation deals could breach international law if people were sent to places where they risk torture, abduction, or abuse.
President Paul Kagame’s administration has also faced criticism from rights groups for its record on political freedoms and press liberties, raising further questions about the long-term welfare of deported migrants.
