Negotiations are taking place a week after dramatic scenes of thousands of people storming the border between Morocco and Spain reignited debates about migration in Europe.
Read more Can you recognize 10 famous Lithuanians from their photos?
In June, Members of the European Parliament approved stricter migration rules, including giving countries the option to open “return centers” outside the European Union (EU), where migrants without the right to stay in the bloc could be sent.
Rwandan government representative Yolande Makolo, asked by the radio station “Royal FM” about Rwanda’s agreement with Italy, responded that discussions are ongoing but “there is no agreement yet.”
According to Y. Makolo, broad negotiations took place regarding an “urgent transit mechanism.”
Rwanda could provide a “safe place for families who are stuck (…), have nowhere else to go, or are at risk for various reasons,” she added.
She said that families could return to their countries of origin or, after applying for asylum, be relocated to another country.
Later, Y. Makolo confirmed to the news agency AFP that “initial discussions with some European countries have taken place, but nothing has been decided yet.”
Read more Why do some smokers get cancer while others do not? Scientists think they have found the answer
She added that the negotiations involved Rwanda’s “overall approach and experience on migration issues.”
Rwanda had made a similar agreement with the United Kingdom – it was reached under the former British Conservative government, but the subsequent Labour government rejected it. Kigali took the matter to court but lost.
Under that agreement, Rwanda had agreed to accept migrants who arrived in the UK via “dangerous or illegal routes.”
Last week, tens of thousands of people stormed the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta, bordering Morocco. Although most of these people later returned to Morocco, the incident prompted right-wing European leaders to call for stricter border controls.
According to the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, Rwanda is one of the African countries that agreed to accept people deported from the US in exchange for a multi-million dollar aid deal.
Read more „Rytas“ learned the opponents in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup
