What should US deportees expect from Rwanda?
Rwanda has agreed to receive 250 immigrants deported from Washington, becoming the third country on the continent to accept US deportees under similar arrangements, after Eswatini and South Sudan.
The East African country has had little success in securing migrant agreements.
A high-profile deal with the United Kingdom, which promised deportees clean accommodations, daily meals, recreational facilities, and satellite television, ultimately collapsed after UK courts deemed Rwanda unsafe for asylum seekers.
This was despite London committing nearly $500 million, along with individual resettlement payments.
The US is expected to provide significantly less.
Under a previous agreement, the Trump administration allocated just $6 million to support 300 deportees sent to El Salvador, prompting concerns about the level of care and resources available in Kigali.
While Rwanda remains associated in the global sphere with the 1994 genocide, the country has since rebuilt its image. It is now considered one of Africa’s fastest-growing and most stable economies.
President Paul Kagame, in power since 2000, is widely credited with restoring order and spearheading Rwanda’s development. However, his administration has drawn criticism for eroding democratic freedoms, restricting press and political opposition, and allegedly supporting rebel activity in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As the deportation deal proceeds, questions remain about how deportees will be treated — whether they are seen as security threats or simply undocumented individuals.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
