By Ebi Kesiena
Rwanda has confirmed it is in the early stages of discussions with the United States regarding a potential agreement to receive migrants deported from American territory.
The announcement was made by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, during a televised interview with the national broadcaster, Rwanda TV, on Sunday evening.
According to Nduhungirehe, while talks are ongoing, they remain in the preliminary phase and no concrete decisions have been made.
“We are in discussions with the United States. It has not yet reached a stage where we can say exactly how things will proceed, but the talks are ongoing… still in the early stages,” he said.
Rwanda has, in recent years, sought to present itself as a willing partner to Western nations looking to relocate migrants and asylum seekers. This approach reflects Kigali’s broader strategy to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties with developed nations, while also positioning itself as a proactive player in global migration management.
In 2022, Rwanda signed a controversial agreement with the United Kingdom under then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson to accept thousands of asylum seekers who had entered the UK irregularly. That deal, however, was scrapped in 2024 by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, following sustained political and legal opposition in Britain.
The new discussions with the US suggest Rwanda’s continued interest in playing a role in international migration solutions, despite criticism from human rights groups who argue that such deals risk undermining the rights of asylum seekers and externalising border control.
Further details about the potential scope, legal framework, and implementation mechanisms of a US–Rwanda deportation deal are expected to emerge as negotiations progress.
