Rwanda is in early negotiations with the United States over a plan to receive third-country deportees, officials confirmed Monday.
The talks, confirmed by Rwanda’s foreign minister, signal a possible expansion of U.S. efforts to outsource deportations beyond Latin America, where deals have already included Costa Rica, Panama, and El Salvador.
President Paul Kagame’s Rwanda has promoted itself as a stable haven in post-genocide Africa, though rights groups warn that this stability often comes at the cost of civil liberties and political dissent.
Despite its small size and dense population, Rwanda has presented itself as willing to shoulder a global migration burden, echoing its failed 2022 deal with the United Kingdom.
That agreement, which aimed to process and resettle asylum-seekers from Britain, collapsed last year amid legal challenges, political change, and fierce criticism over its cost and ethics.
No deportation flights ever took off under the U.K. plan, yet Britain paid Rwanda nearly £290 million, with no reimbursement required following the plan’s termination.
While the U.S. has not confirmed specifics, Rwandan media report that any future deal would include American funding for migrant integration through job training and stipends.
The backdrop to these talks includes growing scrutiny of Rwanda’s human rights record, including alleged killings of dissidents and support for armed rebels in neighbouring Congo.
UN investigators have accused Rwanda of backing Congolese rebels, prompting Western nations to cut aid and impose sanctions, including by the Trump administration.
Hosting U.S.-deported migrants could help Rwanda restore its international reputation and strengthen ties with Washington amid ongoing regional tensions.
The U.S. State Department declined to comment directly but said working with foreign governments is key to its migration deterrence strategy.
