The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached a deal with the administration of Donald Trump to join its third-country program, which would allow them to receive migrant deportees from the US.
The Congolese Ministry of Communications said in a statement that deportees will begin arriving this month.
They did not provide any information on how many deportees would be flown to the DRC.
It is the latest such deal that the US has struck with at least seven other African nations like Eswatini, South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea.
The third-country deals have drawn criticism from human rights groups, as several participating nations have notoriously repressive governments and poor human rights records.
The deal with the DRC comes as the Trump administration is looking to implement a peace deal in the conflict between the country and Rwanda. Washington is also looking for an agreement to secure US access to Congolese critical minerals.
Congo says agreement is ‘temporary’
Third-country removals tend to involve migrants with protection orders from a US immigration judge who cannot be returned to their home countries over major safety concerns.
The Congolese government said no automatic transfer of the deportees has been planned.
“Each situation will be subject to individual review in accordance with the laws of the Republic and national security requirements,” the statement added.
The Congolese government said the agreement was “temporary” and that the US will pay for all the expenses of the migrant arrivals, with no costs incurred by the Congolese government. The statement also said that facilities have been prepared near the capital Kinshasa to accommodate the deportees.
The Congolese government said the agreement reflected the country’s “commitment to human dignity and international solidarity.”
Edited by: Rana Taha
