Friday, 12 February 2016

[AfricaRealities.com] The first world commerce of refugees to be launched soon by Rwanda and Uganda

Eritrean refugees in Tel Aviv (photo credit: Nicky Kelvin/Flash90)

Israel and Rwanda are discussing a deal in which the East African nation would take in illegal migrants from the Jewish state in exchange for favorable contracts.

Under the proposed agreement, which has come under scrutiny by human rights organizations, Israel would send hundreds of Eritrean and Sudanese nationals, many of them asylum-seekers, to Rwanda in return for favorable deals that include millions of dollars in grants, The East African reported Friday.

The information is based on statements made by Rwandan President Paul Kagame during a press conference in Kigali on Thursday, the paper reported. In addition to Rwanda, Israel is rumored to have reached a similar arrangement with Uganda, though neither Kampala nor Jerusalem confirmed this.

Asked by a reporter about the contacts, Kagame said he was not aware of the specifics but confirmed the talks were ongoing.

"On Rwanda and Israel, yes, I know there has been this discussion," he said, "and it has been a debate in Israel about these Africans who have migrated to Israel as they do to other European countries. Some of them are either there illegally or with different status."

Israel's Interior Ministry confirmed this week in a statement that it will "expel immigrants from the detention centers" and encourage migrants "to leave Israel in a safe and respectable way" for specific African countries that would grant them legal immigration rights.

Approximately 50,000 Africans who entered Israel through Egypt live in Israel, which is bound by international treaties to let them stay while they have United Nations refugee status. However, they can be relocated to a third country willing to accept them. Israel's deal with Rwanda and possibly with Uganda as well have been criticized by refugee rights groups, which have expressed concern over the human rights records of Rwanda and Uganda and questioned whether the refugees' status would be honored once they arrive in Africa.

Many asylum-seekers are held in southern Israel's Holot detention facility. In recent years, a new barrier along the Egypt-Israel border has stopped additional newcomers from arriving.

Report: Rwanda and Israel discuss contracts-for-refugees deal



				Report: Rwanda and Israel discuss contracts-for-refugees... Jerusalem in discussion with East African nation over potential of accepting asylum seekers for lucrative deals

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[AfricaRealities.com] The first trade of African refugees about to be started by Rwanda.

The first trade of African refugees is about to be started by Rwanda.

UNHCR is facilitating this new phenomenon.

Israel and Rwanda confirm 'multimillion dollar' cash-for-refugees deal

Local reports in African country say Rwandan President Kagame confirmed a deal with Israel to host its African immigrants.

Ynet

Published:

04.03.15, 11:27 / Israel News

Israel and Rwanda confirmed reports that the African country was working to finalize a multimillion dollar deal with Jerusalem to take on some of Israel's African immigrants and asylum seekers. Rwanda's President Paul Kagame said a deal was in the works Thursday, and on Friday, Israel's Interior Minister Gilad Erdan confirmed the report.

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Israel has been struggling to deal with an influx of political and economic refugees from Africa. After failed attempts at incarcerating the refugee seekers in different facilitates, Israel said it would seek a "third country" to give home to those African nationals it intends to expel. Israel has faced both internal and external criticism for its ongoing failure to formulate a policy in regards to the asylum seekers.

Photo: Barel Efriam

Addressing a press conference in capital of Kigali on Thursday, Kagame said the two countries were in ongoing talks, but failed to supply details.

"On Rwanda and Israel, yes, I know there has been this discussion and it has been a debate in Israel about these Africans who have migrated to Israel as they do to other European countries. Some of them are either there illegally or with different status," he said.

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame (Photo: AFP)

According to a report in the East African, the agreement between Israel and Rwanda will see Israel deport hundreds of Eritrean and Sudanese asylum-seekers to both Rwanda and Uganda. In return, Rwanda will receive millions of dollars in grants and sales from Israel.

Related stories:

Israel's Interior Minister Gilad Erdan confirmed the report Friday during an interview, offering some initial details: "We give them a package that includes a flight and $3,500 - no small sum in these countries. They will be given visas and will be allowed to work," he said.

Erdan formulated a plan to increase the foreign nationals "voluntary departures" to an undisclosed country last week. The majority of asylum seekers are now housed in Israel's Holot Detention Center – an "open" detention facility in the Negev.

Israel's plan encourages migrants "to leave Israel in a safe and respectable way," Erdan said when he first revealed the plan, explaining Israel was reaching out to African countries that would grant them legal immigration rights. Previous attempts at "voluntary departure" had come under fire after many of those who left of their own accord faced life threatening danger in their home country.

But this time is different, Erdan claims, saying that in the first few months, Israel will follow the foreign nationals intake process in the host countries to make sure they are properly treated.

Ynet reported that Israel reached an agreement with two unnamed African countries willing to take in migrants who had illegally entered Israel and cannot be returned to their country of origin. Since the beginning of 2014, some 1,500 African migrants or asylum seekers left Israel to a third country, in addition to 7,000 who were returned to their country of origin.

According to different reports, Israel will deport Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers, estimated at over 50,000, to African countries including Rwanda and Uganda under a new policy which has already been criticized by human rights defenders.

The migrant will receive all of the information on the process of leaving Israel, including the country he or she are going to and the process of absorption in the new country. Funding and organizing the migrants' departure - including plane tickets, hotels and an "exit grant" - will fall under Israel's responsibility.

The African migrant offered to partake in the program will have 30 days to arrange his or her departure. A migrant who is unwilling to leave will face a hearing, where it will be decided whether to move him to another detention facility as someone who fails to cooperate in his expulsion, according to article 13 of the Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law.

Omri Efraim contributed to this report