Rwanda has received 173 asylum seekers evacuated from Libya under the United Nations Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM), authorities said on Wednesday, in the latest operation aimed at relocating vulnerable migrants stranded in the North African country.
The Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) said the group includes 85 Sudanese nationals, 66 Eritreans, seven Ethiopians, 12 South Sudanese, and two Somali citizens. The evacuation was carried out in coordination with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The asylum seekers had been held in Libya before being transferred to Rwanda for temporary protection and processing. They were received at the Gashora Emergency Transit Centre in Bugesera District, where they will remain while awaiting longer-term solutions, including possible resettlement in third countries.
Since the launch of the ETM in 2019, Rwanda has hosted more than 3,000 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya. According to official figures, 2,623 individuals have already been successfully resettled abroad.
MINEMA reiterated Rwanda’s commitment to supporting displaced people, stating that the country continues to provide refuge for those in need under international cooperation frameworks involving the African Union and UNHCR.
The ETM was established in response to concerns over the treatment and safety of migrants and refugees in Libya, which remains a major transit point for people attempting to cross the Mediterranean towards Europe.
The latest transfer follows a previous evacuation in February, highlighting the continued movement of vulnerable groups out of Libya under international protection arrangements.
UN agencies have repeatedly warned about the risks faced by migrants in Libya, including detention, abuse, and exploitation, as the country remains a central hub on the irregular migration route to Europe.