First group of Libyan Immigrants arrive in Rwanda on Thursday

Government has said the first group of 75 Immigrants and Asylum seekers from Libya are arriving in Rwanda on Thursday September 22, setting in motion the commitment that Rwanda signed with African Union (AU) Commission, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

President Paul Kagame appreciated the support by African Union and United National High Commissioner for refugees and called on members of the UN to uphold their legal obligations in a spirit of solidarity.

“In the coming weeks, Rwanda is preparing to receive and protect a number of refugees and asylum-seekers from detention camps in Libya,” President Kagame said during the While speaking during the UN general assembly in New York on Tuesday.

“This partnership is a clear sign that we can cooperate to address complex problems,” Kagame added.

Recently, the United Nations welcomed and thanked Rwanda’s decision to take up the immigrants which it says was a great contribution as Africa struggles to find solutions to its challenges which President has been an advocate.

“Africa itself is also a source of solutions. There is no doubt that the challenge of global inequality can only be addressed by working together,” He added

Germaine Kamayirese, the Minister of Emergency Management and Refugee Affairs said that preparations to ensure that all necessary requirements at the camp are in place have been finalised. The camp is equipped with water, electricity, furnished houses as well as a health centre among others.  

 The Minister says that the refugee agency will provide and pay interpreters to help refugees interact with the locals as one way of ensuring that the refugees feel at home.

Most of the immigrants are from the horn of Africa (Djibouti, Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia).

The Refugee agency announced during the signing early this month in Ethiopia that Rwanda will work as a transit centre for the refugees as they are waiting to be relocated to other places or others who wish to go back to their countries can do so at their will.