DR Congo to receive thirty U.S. deportees

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is expected to receive more than 30 deportees from the United States this week under a new bilateral arrangement, according to multiple sources.

The individuals are not Congolese nationals, with some reportedly originating from Central and South America, based on sources familiar with the matter and court documents.

Estimates of the number of deportees vary, with figures ranging between 37 and 45.

The transfer marks the first group to be sent to the country under an agreement announced earlier this month between Kinshasa and Washington.

Sources said the deportees are expected to arrive in the capital, Kinshasa, by Friday and may be accommodated in a hotel near the city’s main airport.

The arrangement comes amid broader engagement between both countries, including a U.S.-backed peace initiative involving DR Congo and Rwanda, as well as a separate agreement granting the United States access to critical minerals.

Congolese authorities have previously stated that the country will not bear the financial cost of hosting third-country deportees.

The United States has in the past transferred deportees to several African countries, including Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Eswatini.

SOURCE: Reuters