Rwanda agrees to receive up to 250 migrants under new deal with U.S.

Rwanda has reached an agreement with the United States to receive up to 250 migrants, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to supporting displaced populations and promoting reintegration.

KIGALI, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has reached an agreement with the United States to receive up to 250 migrants, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to supporting displaced populations and promoting reintegration, a government official said Tuesday.

"Nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation," government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told national broadcaster Rwanda TV.

Under the agreement, Rwanda retains the authority to review and approve each proposed for resettlement.

"Those approved will be provided with workforce training, health care, and accommodation support to jump start their lives in Rwanda, giving them the opportunity to contribute to one of the fastest growing economies in the world over the last decade," she said.

The arrangement builds on Rwanda's established record of offering refuge to migrants and asylum seekers.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), between September 2019 and April 2025, Rwanda received 2,760 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya via the Emergency Transit Mechanism, through 21 evacuation flights.

Most of those evacuated came from Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Mali, and Chad. As of April 2025, more than 2,100 of them have been resettled to third countries, according to UNHCR. ■