This archive report was first published on 27 September 2019.
On September 26, 2019, a group of 66 African refugees and asylum seekers landed at the Kigali International Airport, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. The group, which included many minors, single mothers, and families, was received by officials from the Ministry in charge of emergency management (Minema) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The refugees had been stranded in Libya for over three years, and their transfer to Rwanda was a voluntary decision. According to UNHCR Libya, the group included a two-month-old little Somali girl born at the gathering and departure facility in Libya.
The refugees will be housed in a transit centre in Bugesera District, about two hours' drive south of the capital Kigali. The facility, which has been a transit centre for Burundian refugees since 2015, has been renovated by UNHCR in preparation for the arrival of the 500 expected refugees and asylum seekers from Libya.
During their time in Rwanda, the refugees will be resettled to third countries or, safety allowing, return to their asylum and home countries, according to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Rwanda, UNHCR, and the African Union.
