KIGALI, Rwanda — Rwanda’s government confirmed Monday that it has entered early discussions with the United States about potentially hosting migrants deported from American soil, signaling a new chapter in the East African country’s growing role in global migration policy.
Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said the talks are in the preliminary stages and declined to provide specifics, but local media reports suggest the agreement would involve U.S. financial support to help integrate the migrants into Rwandan society, including through stipends and employment programs.
“We are indeed in early-stage discussions with the United States,” Nduhungirehe told The Associated Press, following remarks he made to state-run media over the weekend.
The U.S. State Department did not confirm the existence of a deal but noted that cooperation with foreign governments remains a critical part of the Biden administration’s strategy to curb illegal migration and provide humane solutions for migrants facing deportation.
If finalized, the deal would mark the second major migration partnership for Rwanda, which previously reached a high-profile agreement with the United Kingdom to receive deported asylum-seekers. That plan, which included construction of specialized accommodations, was scrapped in 2024 after the Labour Party came to power and abandoned the initiative.
Rwanda has long positioned itself as a willing partner for humanitarian migration programs, despite international criticism of its human rights record. The country has faced scrutiny from rights groups over allegations of suppression and arbitrary detention and is also entangled in a volatile regional conflict involving the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rwanda is currently participating in U.S.-backed peace talks with Congo, where Kigali is accused of supporting M23 rebels operating in the resource-rich eastern provinces. Nduhungirehe said on Sunday that both nations had submitted draft proposals for a peace agreement, with a final document expected to be signed in the United States next month.
The foreign minister framed the migrant talks with Washington as consistent with Rwanda’s “long-standing commitment to humanitarian cooperation and global migration solutions,” though no timeline for a final deal was given.
