The African Union (AU) is emphasizing on engaging Rwanda, in renewing the agreement signed to host stranded African migrants evacuated from Libya, official reports indicated Sunday.
In September 2019, the Government of Rwanda, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the African Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding to set up a transit mechanism for evacuating refugees out of Libya.
Under the agreement, Rwanda committed to receive and provide protection to refugees and asylum-seekers who are currently being held in detention centres in Libya. They will be transferred to safety in Rwanda on a voluntary basis, it said.
While some have benefited from resettlement to third countries, others will have been helped to return to countries where asylum had previously been granted, or to return to their home countries if it is safe to do so.
Ever since, the country has hosted up to 515 persons under the program who have been arriving at different times, as the UNHCR made effort to fly them in.
Currently, 235 of them were resettled in other countries like Norway, Canada, France and Sweden.
Durting her official visit to Rwanda, Amira Elfadil, AU’s Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development visited the Emergency Transit Mechanism expressed the continental body’s desire to extend the deal for some more time, as it is set to expire in September this year.
“We are still in need of bringing-in stranded African migrants, and give them opportunities of being resettled in Europe and other places,” Ms.Amira said.
Following the AU’s request, officials in Kigali said they will assess AU’s request when is sent to them, and he does not expect it to be turned down.
“If there is a request to extend the agreement, we are going to assess it and then respond. So far, I don’t think that we can refuse it,” the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Emergency Management (MINEMA), Olivier Kayumba said.
CU/abj/APA