Latest news with #OlivierNduhungirehe
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will the United States deport people to Rwanda?
After a plan by the United Kingdom to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was scrapped last year, Kigali is now in discussions about a similar arrangement with the United States, despite concerns from rights groups. This month, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe confirmed that his country is in talks with Washington over a migration deal, but concrete details have been scarce. Analysts say this time, things just might work out for Rwanda. Donald Trump's government is actively deporting refugees to third countries like El Salvador and is reportedly in talks with Libya, a country beset by conflict and economic instability that already hosts tens of thousands of refugees. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the administration is looking for countries, preferably distant ones, to accept deported individuals, particularly convicted criminals who have served their sentences. 'We are working with other countries to say, 'We want to send you some of the most despicable human beings to your countries,'' Rubio said during a cabinet meeting in April, adding that far-off locations would prevent re-entry. Human rights groups have, however, raised concerns that such deals could see refugees from unsafe countries being sent to other unsafe countries or even the very places they fled. Here's what we know about the proposed deal: Minister Nduhungirehe, speaking to state TV on May 5, refused to give the full details of Kigali's discussions with Washington but said the two countries were involved in talks at the 'early stage'. 'We are in bilateral talks,' the official said. It's unclear how many refugees could be transferred or when that might commence. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolanda Makolo, in a statement to Al Jazeera, said no details have been formalised. 'At this point, we are still in discussion and nothing has yet been agreed. One aspect of our approach is based on rehabilitation and integration, as opposed to prison camps or detention centres,' she said on Friday. Earlier reporting by local Rwandan media suggested the agreement could see the US pay for a programme to help deported refugees integrate into Rwandan society through stipends and job assistance schemes. The US has not publicly commented on the Rwandan talks. In what looked like a possible model for future deportations, Washington quietly deported an Iraqi man, Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, to Kigali, the Rwandan capital, in April. Although Ameen was granted US refugee status in 2014 and is a resident of Sacramento, the US government under Joe Biden and the previous Trump administration had sought to remove him from the country. In 2021, a court ruling said that Ameen could be deported because he lied about having ties with ISIL (ISIS), even though a cousin he associated with was a member of the armed group. Ameen's lawyers appealed the decision, saying he faced execution in Iraq, where he is accused of killing a policeman. In 2024, Rwanda attempted to seal a similar refugee relocation deal with the UK, but it ultimately failed. The Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) deal was originally agreed to in 2022 when the UK faced a surge of migrants and refugees arriving on boats. The plan was for Rwanda to process asylum claims and resettle them in the East African nation if the applications were successful. The agreement also stated that the UK was to provide aid funding to Rwanda and pay for the cost of processing and integrating each individual. Each person, in the first year, would cost £45,262 ($61,358). The plan was for an initial five-year period. Individuals not wanting to stay would be flown to their home country by Rwanda. The UK would pay £10,000 ($13,440) for every individual Rwanda returned. However, legal challenges hampered progress as migrant advocates who condemned the move as unethical and unlawful launched several lawsuits. They argued the deal violates the non-refoulement principle of the United Nations Convention on Refugees, which protects people from being forced back to countries where they face serious threats to life or their freedom. At one point, a court order prevented a plane ready to fly the first set of people to Rwanda from taking off. Despite the opposition, parliament passed a bill of approval in April 2024. However, after the new Labour government was elected last year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called off the deal, calling it a 'gimmick' by the previous Conservative government. Separately, Rwanda has since 2019 partnered with the African Union and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to 'temporarily' house migrants evacuated from detention centres in Libya, where they faced exploitation, torture and sexual abuse. The UN says that of the more than 2,200 people evacuated to a UN-run facility in Rwanda's eastern Gashora village, about 1,600 have been resettled in countries like Sweden, Norway, Canada, France and Belgium. All refugees relocated so far are from African countries. In return, the UN and the European Union provide funding to Rwanda as well as local infrastructure, such as building the village's roads. Analysts say Rwanda is eager to secure a relocation deal for the money it stands to gain, but also to better its standing with Western countries. Although highly praised for transforming from a war-torn nation where a genocide against Tutsis was committed in 1994, to a fast-developing economy, Rwanda is aid-reliant, with about $1bn in aid funding padding close to a fifth of the yearly budget. Most of that money comes from Germany, the US, and Japan. A deal with a Western country would likely pump needed funds into the country. The UK deal, although now called off, saw Rwanda get paid about 290 million pounds ($389m) in pre-payments. If it had been successful, Kigali would have received about £150,000 ($202,000) for one individual over five years. Makolo, the government spokesperson, did not speak to the financial details of the proposal. 'African countries, including Rwanda, can be part of the solution to global challenges such as irregular migration, in a mutually beneficial bilateral relationship,' she told Al Jazeera. Importantly, analysts say Rwanda is also likely seeking a better standing with its Western allies, many of whom have voiced displeasure over its military actions in the East African region, specifically in the ongoing crisis in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A UN Group of Experts, as well as the US, accuse Rwanda of backing M23, a rebel group that has seized major cities in eastern DRC in deadly offensives since January; Rwanda denies the accusations. M23, which is fighting the Congolese army and allied armed rebels, claims to be defending the rights of Congolese Tutsis, while Rwanda claims Kinshasa backs some former genocidaires now operating as militias in DRC. Although the US government sanctioned Rwanda's regional affairs minister, James Kabarebe, in February over Kigali's support for M23, the Trump administration's tone has noticeably softened in recent weeks, analysts say. 'This [deal] has something to do with that, of course,' Christian Rumu of Amnesty International told Al Jazeera. 'Rwanda is in a very difficult situation, and by proposing this service, there is certainly a return that it will be expected. So this is political, and we can't close our eyes to that.' The US, which is seeking to seal a minerals deal with the resource-rich DRC, is now negotiating peace talks between the DRC and Rwanda. On April 25, Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwanda's Nduhungirehe met with Rubio and signed an agreement committing to peace negotiations. The UN and rights groups like Amnesty International have raised fears about the safety and protection of refugees facing deportation to third countries. In a statement last June when the UK-Rwanda deal was on the table, UNHCR said that while it has repeatedly commended Rwanda's 'generous' offer to host a facility for evacuees from Libya, it stands against shifting responsibility for asylum decisions to the country. 'UNHCR has been consistently clear on its concerns regarding the serious risks that 'externalization' poses to refugees, including refoulement, and finds that the UK-Rwanda Asylum partnership shifts responsibility for making asylum decisions and for protecting refugees,' the statement read. Rumu of Amnesty echoed those observations, pointing out that the US deal would be different from the UNHCR-Libya case because a third-party organisation like the UN won't be involved to properly verify that international asylum protection laws are being followed. However, Rumu added, his opposition is also about the morality of such a deal. 'Rwanda has open visa policies, so if it was ever an option for these people, they would have gone there in the first place,' Rumu said. 'This is about using people's suffering. [The US] saying they'll send the most despicable people shows it is rooted in bigotry and not in human dignity. This is about money and Rwanda positioning itself in the eastern DRC crisis – but it is people who will suffer for it.' Analysts also question how Rwanda can safely accommodate people with criminal records, and if long-term integration with local communities is possible, in a country still grappling with its complex, post-genocide past. Opposition politician Victoire Ingabire told Al Jazeera that it's too early to say what effects the US deal might have on Rwanda, but that the country itself is dealing with multiple crises, including hundreds of people displaced since the 1994 genocide, and the new fighting in the DRC. 'Rwanda must first solve both internal and regional challenges so that it stops producing its own migrants,' she said. 'This will prepare Rwanda to receive migrants from other countries in the future.' The voices of Rwandans themselves have not been highlighted in these debates, whether in the failed UK deal or the proposed US partnership. Rights groups, like Human Rights Watch, often criticise Rwanda for what they say is a repressive political environment that restricts freedom of the press and expression, and where people may be hesitant to share their views. Last year, residents close to one Kigali hostel that was meant to host the refugees from the UK, spoke to Al Jazeera at the time the country's parliament approved the plan, but they spoke anonymously and offered a neutral take. Dativ, a 35-year-old, told Al Jazeera the UK plan sounded like a great idea because money would flow into Rwanda, and asylum seekers would bring more employees into the service sector. Rwanda's economy mainly relies on services, tourism and agriculture. Another Rwandan, a 45-year-old man who works as a taxi driver in the same neighbourhood and who refused to give his name, said it could go both ways: Rwandans could have more work, but the relocated asylum seekers could also be competing with locals for job opportunities.
Al Jazeera
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Will the United States deport people to Rwanda?
After a plan by the United Kingdom to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was scrapped last year, Kigali is now in discussions about a similar arrangement with the United States, despite concerns from rights groups. This month, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe confirmed that his country is in talks with Washington over a migration deal, but concrete details have been scarce. Analysts say this time, things just might work out for Rwanda. Donald Trump's government is actively deporting refugees to third countries like El Salvador and is reportedly in talks with Libya, a country beset by conflict and economic instability that already hosts tens of thousands of refugees. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the administration is looking for countries, preferably distant ones, to accept deported individuals, particularly convicted criminals who have served their sentences. 'We are working with other countries to say, 'We want to send you some of the most despicable human beings to your countries,'' Rubio said during a cabinet meeting in April, adding that far-off locations would prevent re-entry. Human rights groups have, however, raised concerns that such deals could see refugees from unsafe countries being sent to other unsafe countries or even the very places they fled. Here's what we know about the proposed deal: Minister Nduhungirehe, speaking to state TV on May 5, refused to give the full details of Kigali's discussions with Washington but said the two countries were involved in talks at the 'early stage'. 'We are in bilateral talks,' the official said. It's unclear how many refugees could be transferred or when that might commence. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolanda Makolo, in a statement to Al Jazeera, said no details have been formalised. 'At this point, we are still in discussion and nothing has yet been agreed. One aspect of our approach is based on rehabilitation and integration, as opposed to prison camps or detention centres,' she said on Friday. Earlier reporting by local Rwandan media suggested the agreement could see the US pay for a programme to help deported refugees integrate into Rwandan society through stipends and job assistance schemes. The US has not publicly commented on the Rwandan talks. In what looked like a possible model for future deportations, Washington quietly deported an Iraqi man, Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, to Kigali, the Rwandan capital, in April. Although Ameen was granted US refugee status in 2014 and is a resident of Sacramento, the US government under Joe Biden and the previous Trump administration had sought to remove him from the country. In 2021, a court ruling said that Ameen could be deported because he lied about having ties with ISIL (ISIS), even though a cousin he associated with was a member of the armed group. Ameen's lawyers appealed the decision, saying he faced execution in Iraq, where he is accused of killing a policeman. In 2024, Rwanda attempted to seal a similar refugee relocation deal with the UK, but it ultimately failed. The Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) deal was originally agreed to in 2022 when the UK faced a surge of migrants and refugees arriving on boats. The plan was for Rwanda to process asylum claims and resettle them in the East African nation if the applications were successful. The agreement also stated that the UK was to provide aid funding to Rwanda and pay for the cost of processing and integrating each individual. Each person, in the first year, would cost £45,262 ($61,358). The plan was for an initial five-year period. Individuals not wanting to stay would be flown to their home country by Rwanda. The UK would pay £10,000 ($13,440) for every individual Rwanda returned. However, legal challenges hampered progress as migrant advocates who condemned the move as unethical and unlawful launched several lawsuits. They argued the deal violates the non-refoulement principle of the United Nations Convention on Refugees, which protects people from being forced back to countries where they face serious threats to life or their freedom. At one point, a court order prevented a plane ready to fly the first set of people to Rwanda from taking off. Despite the opposition, parliament passed a bill of approval in April 2024. However, after the new Labour government was elected last year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called off the deal, calling it a 'gimmick' by the previous Conservative government. Separately, Rwanda has since 2019 partnered with the African Union and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to 'temporarily' house migrants evacuated from detention centres in Libya, where they faced exploitation, torture and sexual abuse. The UN says that of the more than 2,200 people evacuated to a UN-run facility in Rwanda's eastern Gashora village, about 1,600 have been resettled in countries like Sweden, Norway, Canada, France and Belgium. All refugees relocated so far are from African countries. In return, the UN and the European Union provide funding to Rwanda as well as local infrastructure, such as building the village's roads. Analysts say Rwanda is eager to secure a relocation deal for the money it stands to gain, but also to better its standing with Western countries. Although highly praised for transforming from a war-torn nation where a genocide against Tutsis was committed in 1994, to a fast-developing economy, Rwanda is aid-reliant, with about $1bn in aid funding padding close to a fifth of the yearly budget. Most of that money comes from Germany, the US, and Japan. A deal with a Western country would likely pump needed funds into the country. The UK deal, although now called off, saw Rwanda get paid about 290 million pounds ($389m) in pre-payments. If it had been successful, Kigali would have received about £150,000 ($202,000) for one individual over five years. Makolo, the government spokesperson, did not speak to the financial details of the proposal. 'African countries, including Rwanda, can be part of the solution to global challenges such as irregular migration, in a mutually beneficial bilateral relationship,' she told Al Jazeera. Importantly, analysts say Rwanda is also likely seeking a better standing with its Western allies, many of whom have voiced displeasure over its military actions in the East African region, specifically in the ongoing crisis in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A UN Group of Experts, as well as the US, accuse Rwanda of backing M23, a rebel group that has seized major cities in eastern DRC in deadly offensives since January; Rwanda denies the accusations. M23, which is fighting the Congolese army and allied armed rebels, claims to be defending the rights of Congolese Tutsis, while Rwanda claims Kinshasa backs some former genocidaires now operating as militias in DRC. Although the US government sanctioned Rwanda's regional affairs minister, James Kabarebe, in February over Kigali's support for M23, the Trump administration's tone has noticeably softened in recent weeks, analysts say. 'This [deal] has something to do with that, of course,' Christian Rumu of Amnesty International told Al Jazeera. 'Rwanda is in a very difficult situation, and by proposing this service, there is certainly a return that it will be expected. So this is political, and we can't close our eyes to that.' The US, which is seeking to seal a minerals deal with the resource-rich DRC, is now negotiating peace talks between the DRC and Rwanda. On April 25, Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwanda's Nduhungirehe met with Rubio and signed an agreement committing to peace negotiations. The UN and rights groups like Amnesty International have raised fears about the safety and protection of refugees facing deportation to third countries. In a statement last June when the UK-Rwanda deal was on the table, UNHCR said that while it has repeatedly commended Rwanda's 'generous' offer to host a facility for evacuees from Libya, it stands against shifting responsibility for asylum decisions to the country. 'UNHCR has been consistently clear on its concerns regarding the serious risks that 'externalization' poses to refugees, including refoulement, and finds that the UK-Rwanda Asylum partnership shifts responsibility for making asylum decisions and for protecting refugees,' the statement read. Rumu of Amnesty echoed those observations, pointing out that the US deal would be different from the UNHCR-Libya case because a third-party organisation like the UN won't be involved to properly verify that international asylum protection laws are being followed. However, Rumu added, his opposition is also about the morality of such a deal. 'Rwanda has open visa policies, so if it was ever an option for these people, they would have gone there in the first place,' Rumu said. 'This is about using people's suffering. [The US] saying they'll send the most despicable people shows it is rooted in bigotry and not in human dignity. This is about money and Rwanda positioning itself in the eastern DRC crisis – but it is people who will suffer for it.' Analysts also question how Rwanda can safely accommodate people with criminal records, and if long-term integration with local communities is possible, in a country still grappling with its complex, post-genocide past. Opposition politician Victoire Ingabire told Al Jazeera that it's too early to say what effects the US deal might have on Rwanda, but that the country itself is dealing with multiple crises, including hundreds of people displaced since the 1994 genocide, and the new fighting in the DRC. 'Rwanda must first solve both internal and regional challenges so that it stops producing its own migrants,' she said. 'This will prepare Rwanda to receive migrants from other countries in the future.' The voices of Rwandans themselves have not been highlighted in these debates, whether in the failed UK deal or the proposed US partnership. Rights groups, like Human Rights Watch, often criticise Rwanda for what they say is a repressive political environment that restricts freedom of the press and expression, and where people may be hesitant to share their views. Last year, residents close to one Kigali hostel that was meant to host the refugees from the UK, spoke to Al Jazeera at the time the country's parliament approved the plan, but they spoke anonymously and offered a neutral take. Dativ, a 35-year-old, told Al Jazeera the UK plan sounded like a great idea because money would flow into Rwanda, and asylum seekers would bring more employees into the service sector. Rwanda's economy mainly relies on services, tourism and agriculture. Another Rwandan, a 45-year-old man who works as a taxi driver in the same neighbourhood and who refused to give his name, said it could go both ways: Rwandans could have more work, but the relocated asylum seekers could also be competing with locals for job opportunities.
Free Malaysia Today
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Rwanda to ink DR Congo peace deal in US
M23 fighters have made rapid advances in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since January. (AP pic) NAIROBI : Rwanda's foreign minister today said a final peace deal to end a crisis gripping the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo would be signed in mid-June in Washington. M23 fighters, who UN experts and the US say have received military support from Rwanda, have made rapid advances in the eastern DRC since January, seizing key cities and vast areas of territory in fighting that has killed thousands. Last month, the DRC and Rwanda agreed at talks in the US to reach a draft peace deal by May 2, raising hopes of an end to the crisis sparked by the M23's lightning offensive. Rwandan foreign minister Olivier Nduhungirehe told AFP there was still no agreement on the content of the deal but the next steps would involve 'consolidation of the contributions of the parties into a single text'. This would be followed by the 'finalisation of the draft peace agreement by foreign ministers in a meeting to take place in Washington during the third week of May'. The process was expected to lead to 'the signing of the agreement mid-June at the White House', Nduhungirehe said. It comes a day after US special envoy for Africa Massad Boulos said on X that he had received 'draft text on a peace proposal' by the DRC and Rwanda. 'This is an important step toward fulfilling the commitments made in the declaration of principles,' said Boulos, who is father-in-law to US President Donald Trump's daughter Tiffany. Last month, Boulos visited both countries and called for Rwanda to halt support to the M23 and pull out troops. Rwanda has denied military support for the M23 but says its security has long been threatened by armed groups in eastern DRC, notably the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda created by former Hutu leaders linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Since its 2021 resurgence, the M23 has seized swathes of the eastern DRC, displacing hundreds of thousands of Congolese and triggering a widespread humanitarian crisis. Multiple ceasefires have been made and broken in the last four years.
Winnipeg Free Press
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Rwanda says it's talking with the US about taking in third-country deportees. Here's why
Rwanda drew international attention, and some outrage, by agreeing to take in Britain's rejected asylum-seekers in a plan that collapsed last year. Now Rwanda says it is talking with the Trump administration about a similar idea – and it might find more success. The negotiations mark an expansion in U.S. efforts to deport people to countries other than their own. It has sent hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama but has yet to announce any major deals with governments in Africa, Asia or Europe. Rwanda has long stood out on the continent for its recovery from the genocide that killed over 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 1994, as it has promoted itself under longtime President Paul Kagame as an oasis of stability. But human rights groups allege that the veneer of order has a painful price, with sometimes deadly crackdowns on perceived dissent. Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, speaks during a Declaration of Principles signing ceremony with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Congo's Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, Friday, April 25, 2025, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Rwanda has argued that despite being one of Africa's most densely populated countries, it has space to help alleviate what many countries in Europe – and the United States – consider to be a growing problem with unwanted migrants. What's been said so far Rwanda's foreign minister confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday that talks were under way with the U.S. about a potential agreement to host deported migrants, after telling state media the talks were in the 'early stage.' Olivier Nduhungirehe did not give details but said it was consistent with Rwanda's long-standing commitment to the pursuit of migration solutions. The U.S. State Department declined to comment on a potential deal, but said engagement with foreign governments is an important part of the U.S. government's policy to deter illegal migration. Local media reports in Rwanda have suggested the U.S. likely would fund a program to have migrants integrated into society through stipends and job assistance initiatives. The failed Rwanda-Britain deal The U.K. struck a deal with Rwanda in 2022 to send migrants who arrive in the U.K. as stowaways or in boats to the East African country, where their asylum claims would be processed and, if successful, they would stay. The plan was stalled by legal challenges and criticized by human rights groups, who called it unethical to deport migrants to a country 4,000 miles (6,400 miles) away that they don't want to live in. The plan collapsed last year after the new Labour government took charge. The U.K.'s new home secretary called the plan the 'most shocking waste of taxpayer money I have ever seen' and estimated the cost at 700 million pounds ($904 million) in public funds. No flights to Rwanda took off under the plan, but the U.K. government said the failed plan's costs included 290 million pounds in payments to Rwanda. Rwanda has said it was not obligated to refund the money. Human rights concerns Human rights advocates have long raised concerns over the deaths in Rwandan custody of some perceived government critics, as well as the alleged killings of others who sought exile in places like South Africa. Rwanda at times has responded with angry denials to reports documenting human rights abuses – including the abduction and imprisonment of a U.S. resident who was tricked onto a Kigali-bound aircraft while visiting Dubai. He was later freed after Biden administration pressure. Rwanda is also criticized over its aggressive military actions in the region. United Nations experts have documented Rwandan support for the rebel uprising that this year seized two cities in neighboring eastern Congo, an area rich in mineral wealth. The unrest led to fears of a resurgence of regional war, and a number of Western countries cut relations or restricted aid. Rwanda has said it is defending ethnic Tutsis in Congo. The Trump administration, which sanctioned a Rwandan government minister and cited links to the rebels, is trying to broker a peace deal. Agreeing to take in deportees from the U.S. could improve Rwanda's standing with Washington and others. Rwanda's history with migrants Rwanda in 2019 struck a deal with the U.N. refugee agency to help take in migrants removed from Libya, where many people trying to reach Europe have reported abuses in detention. The U.N. says the transit center in Rwanda has capacity for 700 evacuees. Late last year, it said over 2,400 people had been assisted in what is meant to be a temporary stay during efforts to find 'long-term solutions' including resettlement elsewhere. Before its deal with Britain collapsed, Rwanda showed off another transit center, a refurbished hostel in Kigali, that could host 100 people, with more accommodations made available as needed. Rwanda said migrants would have their papers processed within three months. People could stay or authorities would assist those who wished to return to their home countries. Rwanda said it would bear full financial responsibilities for five years. It is not clear whether such terms would be part of a deal with the United States.
The Guardian
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
US talks are an opportunity for Rwanda to expand its geopolitical influence
Talks between Rwanda and the US to host deported migrants is the latest move by the African country to position itself as a useful option for the anti-migration policies of allied governments. Previous high-profile attempts, however, including with the UK, Israel and Denmark, failed after becoming beset by controversy. On Sunday, Olivier Nduhungirehe said the talks with Washington DC were in the early stages. The Rwandan foreign minister told state TV: 'Those reports are true. We are engaged in discussions with the government of the United States of America.' The US-based Handbasket newsletter first reported discussions between Rwanda and the US last month, citing a US State Department cable saying Rwanda had agreed to take in deportees who were unable to be sent to their home countries for fear of persecution. Although details about the planned deal are scant, this is not the first time that Rwanda has explored such an arrangement for resettlement. In 2022, the country entered an agreement with a previous UK government to receive asylum seekers from Britain. Under the deal, asylum claims would be processed in Rwanda. Successful applicants would remain there, while unsuccessful ones would be given the option to leave Rwanda or receive residency. The agreement, which included plans for financial support for relocation and accommodation, faced legal challenges as well as criticism from opposition politicians and human rights activists. The government said it would tackle illegal migration and aid Rwandan development. But critics said it was unlawful and posed risks for the safety of refugees. The deal, which cost the UK hundreds of millions of pounds, eventually fell through when Keir Starmer cancelled it after the Labour party came into power last year. In his address on Sunday, Nduhungirehe acknowledged Rwanda's previous experience with similar migration plans, saying the US idea was 'not something new to us'. Rwanda was also previously involved in a programme between 2014 and 2017 to take African asylum seekers from Israel. The agreement was shrouded in secrecy, but details started emerging in 2018 as Israel's supreme court weighed whether to approve a programme to give African migrants the option of a cash incentive for deportation or be detained indefinitely. In 2017, Volker Türk, the assistant high commissioner for protection at the UN refugee agency, said 4,000 people from Eritrea and Sudan had been relocated under the 2014-17 programme to two African countries 'named in media reports as Rwanda and Uganda'. The scheme collapsed when Israel's supreme court suspended deportations in 2018. Rwanda has also explored a migration deal with Denmark. After the European country's passage of a law to process asylum seekers outside Europe in 2021, the two countries announced that they were looking at establishing a programme for the transfer of asylum seekers arriving in Denmark to Rwanda for consideration of their asylum applications and protection, with the option of settling in Rwanda. They said: 'The current global asylum and migration system is dysfunctional and a new approach is required.' Critics condemned it, saying Denmark was shifting responsibility for refugee protection. In 2023, the country paused the plan, seeking to work with other EU countries in a regional solution. Paul Kagame has in the past defended migration plans to send people to Rwanda. Speaking on state television in 2022, the Rwandan president said: 'We are not involved in buying and selling of people, with the UK or anybody. It's just a problem that needs to be solved and Rwanda is ready to help.' The latest talks with the US present an opportunity for the country to financially leverage the migrant crisis in the west as well as expand its geopolitical influence. Notably, the discussions are happening at a time when the US is pushing Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to enter bilateral economic agreements with the US that would bring western investment to support mining in the countries. The proposed deals are part of a US-led process to end fighting in the mineral-rich eastern DRC, where Rwanda has been accused of fuelling the conflict by backing rebels.
