The agreement between President Kagame and Trump on the last stage the two countries have agreed to seal.
The deal was confirmed by Rwanda’s government spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, a Western news agency reported. The US has reportedly sent an initial list of ten individuals for vetting.
Rwanda’s decision is rooted in its societal values of “reintegration and rehabilitation,” Makolo reportedly said, adding that approved individuals will receive support for accommodation.
While the US, which has been exploring third-country removals of illegal migrants, will reportedly provide Rwanda with a grant for this program, the exact amount has not been disclosed.
Rwanda will vet each individual and reportedly accept only those without criminal records. Child sex offenders will not be accepted.
The agreement can be extended by mutual consent, and individuals deported to Rwanda are not obligated to stay.
Rwanda previously engaged in a now-scrapped deal with the UK to resettle asylum seekers. At the time, South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma slammed the deal as a “new form of colonial exploitation” that could turn African nations into “dumping grounds for unwanted migrants.”
The d decision of Rwanda is to strengthen the ties between Kigali and United States.