Rwanda agrees to take up to 250 migrants from the US
The Trump administration's deportation drive has included negotiating arrangements to send people to third countries, among them South Sudan and Eswatini.
The deal announced on Tuesday follows a cancelled agreement with Britain under which Rwanda would have received asylum seekers from the UK. That deal was scrapped after the Conservative government that negotiated it lost last year's general election.
'Rwanda has agreed with the United States to accept up to 250 migrants,' government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told AFP.
She said Kigali would maintain 'the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement'.
Makolo said Kigali had agreed to the new scheme with Washington because 'nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement'.
Those who arrive in Rwanda will be provided with training, healthcare and accommodation, she added.
No further information was given, including any indication of a timeline, with Makolo saying that Rwanda 'will provide more details once these have been worked out'.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has taken a number of actions aimed at speeding up deportations of undocumented migrants to countries that are not their own.
His administration has defended third-country deportations as necessary, since the home nations of some of those targeted for removal sometimes refuse to accept them.
But rights experts have warned that the deportations risk breaking international law by sending people to countries where they face the risk of torture, abduction and other abuses.
South Sudan – which is teetering on the edge of renewed conflict – accepted eight criminal migrants from the United States, with Juba saying in July they remained in government care. Only one is South Sudanese.
Five other migrants labelled criminals by the US were flown to Eswatini in July and incarcerated.
The government later said they will be repatriated to their own nations.
Rwanda, which is in Africa's Great Lakes region, is home to 13 million people, and its government claims it is one of the most stable countries on the continent and it has drawn praise for its modern infrastructure.
However, the migrant agreement with the UK government drew criticism from rights groups and faced a long-running legal challenge.
President Paul Kagame's government has frequently been accused of rampant human rights violations and crushing political dissent and press freedoms.
Kigali has also come under pressure over its role in the violence roiling the neighbouring eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In June, the DRC and Rwanda signed a peace agreement aimed at ending decades of conflict in eastern DRC, where there were fresh clashes this year when the M23 armed group, backed by Rwandan troops, captured two major cities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
43 minutes ago
- The Independent
Harry and others criticised in Charity Commission report
The Duke of Sussex and others have been criticised by the Charity Commission for letting a 'damaging' boardroom battle play out in the 'public eye' and harm the reputation of a good cause co-founded by Harry. The charity regulator investigated Sentebale after founders Harry and Prince Seeiso stepped down as its patrons in support of a group of trustees, who resigned following a dispute with board of trustees chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka. The watchdog criticised all parties in the fallout for allowing it to play out publicly and described how all trustees contributed to a 'missed opportunity' to resolve the issues that that led to the serious disagreement that risked undermining public trust in charities generally. Harry's spokesperson attacked the findings, saying the report '…falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current chair's actions will not be borne by her – but by the children who rely on Sentebale's support'. Dr Chandauka said: 'The unexpected adverse media campaign that was launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviours displayed in private. 'We are emerging not just grateful to have survived, but stronger: more focused, better governed, boldly ambitious and with our dignity intact.' The fallout came after Sentebale's trustees sought in 2023 to introduce a new fundraising strategy, with the dispute arising between Dr Chandauka and some of the trustees and Harry, said the regulator. A war of words followed the resignations with Harry and Seeiso issuing a joint statement in March, describing their decision as 'unthinkable', adding the trustees 'acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down' while 'in turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship'. Dr Chandauka hit back in a television interview accusing the duke of being 'involved' in a 'cover-up' of an investigation about bullying, harassment and misogyny at the organisation and said the 'toxicity' of his brand had impacted the charity which had seen a drop in donors since Harry moved to the US. The regulator, which cannot investigate individual allegations of bullying, found no evidence of systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity but acknowledged 'the strong perception of ill treatment' felt by some involved. David Holdsworth, chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: 'Passion for a cause is the bedrock of volunteering and charity, delivering positive impact for millions of people here at home and abroad every day. 'However, in the rare cases when things go wrong, it is often because that very passion has become a weakness rather than a strength. 'Sentebale's problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity's reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity's ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve.' Harry founded charity Sentebale in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help young people and children in southern Africa, particularly those living with HIV and Aids. The duke's spokesperson said Harry would find alternatives to helping the children supported by Sentebale in Lesotho and Botswana. He said: 'As custodians of this once brilliant charity, Prince Seeiso, Prince Harry and the former board of trustees helped grow Sentebale from the seed of an idea to – like its namesake – a flowering force for good. 'With the original mission of Sentebale firmly in mind – and in honour of the legacy he and Prince Seeiso began – the Duke of Sussex will now focus on finding new ways to continue supporting the children of Lesotho and Botswana.' The commission's role as regulator was not to adjudicate on internal charity disputes and the case sought to establish whether the charity's former and current trustees, including the chair, fulfilled their duties under charity law. After conducting its regulatory compliance case the commission found no evidence of 'over-reach' by either the chairwoman or Harry in his role as patron. But the regulator was critical of the charity's lack of clarity in the delegation of powers to the chair, which allowed for misunderstandings to occur, and trustees at the time did not have proper policies to investigate internal complaints – both issues amounted to 'mismanagement' in the running of the charity. The commission has issued a regulatory action plan setting out steps trustees need to take, including implementing an internal dispute policy, improving the charity's complaints and whistle-blowing procedures, and establishing clearer processes for delegating authority on behalf of the charity. Sentebale said in a statement that since the start of the year the senior executive were now established in southern Africa, closer to operations. It said the action plan aligned with the board's thinking with a new internal complaints procedure in place, alongside a code of conduct for trustees and a new approach to the delegation of responsibilities so that roles were clearly defined, including any future patron relationships. Dr Chandauka said: 'Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, who established Sentebale in memory of their precious mothers, Princess Diana and Queen 'Mamohato. 'To all who believe in our mission: please walk with us as Sentebale recovers, renews, and rises to meet the hopes and expectations of the next generation.'
Libya Herald
an hour ago
- Libya Herald
Brega begins its fuel truck e-tracking system to counter smuggling
Libya's Brega Oil Marketing Company, the National Oil Corporation's (NOC) subsidiary charged with fuel imports and distribution, announced today that it has started its automated fuel truck tracking system. Brega said the operations and automated tracking room was inaugurated by its Chairman, Fouad Ali Balrahim, in the presence of Board members and several managers and company officials. A quantum leap Brega said the step is a quantum leap in direct communications with the drivers of the company's fuel trucks and immediate response to any emergency faced by the company's drivers, as well as enforcing regulations on speed compliance and good behaviour on the public road. Brega said that among the most important advantages of the system are: * The possibility of direct communication with drivers. * SOS emergency alarm system. * Ability to stop the truck engine remotely. * Accurate identification of cargo unloading locations. The project was implemented under the supervision of the General Directorate of Information and Communications Technology, and will manage the main operations room of the tracking process in cooperation with the departments concerned with controlling the movement of fuel trucks. This project, Brega added, underscores its commitment to digital transformation and enhanced oversight to serve the public interest. If successful, a possible quantum leap in Libya's anti-fuel smuggling efforts? Successive Libyan governments since the 2011 revolution have made unsuccessful efforts to counter the country's huge cross land and sea border fuel smuggling problem. Last month, Naji Issa, Governor of the Central Bank of Libya put the country's annual fuel smuggling bill at about LD 20 billion (US$ 2.7 bn). This equates to about a third of all annual government fuel subsidies. The launch of e-tracking of fuel trucks is part of the government's wider effort to counter this fuel smuggling across land to neighbouring countries and across the sea to states where fuel prices are unsubsidised to the high levels of Libya. A subsidised litre of petrol in Libya today costs LD 0.15 – about US$ 0.02. It will be recalled that in July 2024, Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister, Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, and the head of the Audit Bureau, Khaled Shakshak, attended a workshop on launching an enhanced fuel truck tracking and fuel monitoring system on Brega fuel trucks. This ''anti-fuel smuggling system'' involves converting the fuel outlet valves on fuel delivery trucks from simple mechanical valves that can be opened by anyone at any time, to electronic valves that can only be opened at the targeted petrol station. The system also includes an electronic fuel gauge to measure the amount of fuel delivered; electronically sealed fuel inlets and control cameras fitted to the delivery truck. In parallel to this, an electronic gauge is to be installed at the fuel tanks in petrol stations. Formation of a technical committee At the workshop, the Prime Minister directed the formation of a technical committee from all relevant authorities to evaluate the system and the practical steps to be taken to ensure its implementation throughout the country. Fuel consumption quotas for citizens and unsubsidized prices for foreigners Moreover, at the July 2024 workshop, subsequent possible and more advanced phases of the system included fitting electronic fuel pumps at petrol stations that can identify if the refuelling citizen's car has used up its allotted subsidised fuel consumption quota, if it is reported as stollen, or if it belongs to a foreigner. Foreigners could pay higher unsubsidised fuel price The system could be set up so thatforeigners would pay a higher unsubsidized price for petrol. Quotas are the average worked out by the government of how much fuel the average Libyan citizen consumes per day/week/month/year. Fuel consumption quotas are part of the government's plans to reform fuel subsidies by paying citizens directly the average amount of fuel they consume while raising fuel prices. This is to reduce the abusive consumption and smuggling of fuel across Libya's porous borders. . Attorney General holds anti-fuel smuggling high summit Ten expatriates convicted for smuggling 1.185 million litres of fuel off the coast of Zuwara Committee discusses regulation and fuel smuggling prevention system provided by Al-Namaa Oil Investment Company PM Aldabaiba attends workshop on an experiment of an electronic system to prevent fuel smuggling Secular and religious agree on need for Libya's gradual energy subsidy reform IMF study entitled 'Energy Subsidy Reform in Libya' concludes that reform is crucial as subsidies lead to overconsumption and premature resource depletion NOC chairman Bengdara says his organisation is not a security force to combat fuel smuggling ( Aldabaiba forms ministerial committee to study mechanism for fuel subsidy reform – again ( Supreme Council for Energy adopts NOC 2023-2027 plan, including alternative energy project ( Attorney General bans 15 petrol stations for fuel smuggling abroad ( Prosecutor orders fuel supply ban on 32 petrol stations accused of complicity in fuel smuggling ( Upon Attorney General's order, Brega stops supplying 32 petrol stations accused of fuel smuggling ( At Gharian cabinet meeting, Aldabaiba explains fall in black-market value of dinar and resounds alarm over fuel subsidies ( Ministry of Oil concerned about negative effect of UN report on fuel smuggling on sector investment ( Zawia Public Prosecutor orders detention of militia commander guarding Zawia refinery for fuel smuggling ( Attorney General takes measures to combat Zawia refinery fuel smuggling through security apparatus ( Economy Minister follows up on fuel distribution and counter-smuggling efforts including GPS tracking In an effort to counter fuel smuggling, the Economy Minister orders fuel trucks to be fitted with GPS tracking devices ( GPS truck tracking to be used to counter fuel smuggling, profiteering by fuel distributors will be penalized ( Libya's fuel smuggling: a new Swiss connection is revealed ( Alternatives to fuel subsidies with cash payments delivered to Aldabaiba ( Libya evaluating subsidies for renewable energies – within existing fuel subsidies ( Prime minister Aldabaiba forms Ministerial committee to study reforming fuel subsidies, orders payment of family grant, increases pensions ( Brega claims it can assess demand, manage smooth fuel distribution and reduce its smuggling ( Libya's annual fuel bill rose to US$ 12 bn due to increased electricity production ( Fuel quantities, smuggling and subsidy reform – and increased oil production through PPP discussed at summit meeting ( 44 Brigade continues fight against fuel smugglers – LibyaHerald GPS truck tracking to be used to counter fuel smuggling, profiteering by fuel distributors will be penalized – LibyaHerald Libya's fuel smuggling: a new Swiss connection is revealed – LibyaHerald AG issues arrest warrants, freezes bank accounts of fuel smuggling petrol station owners. – LibyaHerald Fuel smugglers' sites bombed by Air Force, petrol stations shut down as part of continuing anti fuel smuggling drive – LibyaHerald PC Air Force supports NOC's anti-fuel smuggling initiative – LibyaHerald Libyan fuel smuggling is part of an international smuggling network: Attorney General's office – LibyaHerald Tunisians make large fuel smuggling bust on border – LibyaHerald Coast guard arrests two tankers on suspicion of fuel smuggling – LibyaHerald Attorney General investigates petrol company executives over fuel smuggling – LibyaHerald Brega to inspect all petrol stations in its continued anti-fuel smuggling drive – LibyaHerald
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
NYC faces $64 million cut in security funds from Trump administration
WASHINGTON, Aug 5 (Reuters) - The Trump administration said it would cut terrorism prevention funding for New York City, according to a grant notice posted days after a gunman killed four people inside a Manhattan skyscraper. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a grant notice, opens new tab posted on Friday that New York City would receive $64 million less this year from its urban area security fund. The U.S. Congress created the program to help cities prevent terrorist and other violent attacks. Manhattan has been the site of two attacks on high-profile corporate executives in the last year. The most recent attack occurred in late July when a gunman armed with an assault-style rifle killed four people inside an office building that houses the headquarters of the NFL and several major financial firms. 'It makes absolutely no sense, and no justification has been given to cut NY's allocation given the rise in the threat environment,' a spokesperson for the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services said in a statement. A spokesperson for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday defended the move, saying New York City had not spent all of its counter-terrorism money from previous years. Reuters could not independently verify that assertion. Governor Kathy Hochul highlighted the latest attack in a letter, opens new tab to Noem in July that asked why the Trump administration had not announced the amounts each city would receive from the program this year. DHS is the parent agency of FEMA. The agency uses 'an analysis of relative risk of terrorism' to decide how much money each city will receive, according to the grant notice posted on Friday. The agency may change the amounts later, according to the notice. In 2023, the agency considered city visitor counts, population density and proximity to international borders, among other factors, to determine the totals, according to a report signed by then-FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. FEMA has been decreasing terrorism prevention money for New York City each year since at least fiscal year 2022. The drop is much more drastic this year at 41% year-over-year. The New York City Police Department has used the funding in the past to pay for the Domain Awareness System, a network of cameras, license plate readers and detection devices, according to a 2016 statement, opens new tab from former Mayor Bill de Blasio's office.
