Rwanda receives 12 South Sudanese refugees as part of a humanitarian evacuation from Libya
Their total number was 173 people
Written by: Mohammed Omran
I received Rwanda Twelve asylum seekers from South Sudan are among a new group of refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya under the emergency transit mechanism implemented by the Rwandan government in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Rwanda receives 12 South Sudanese refugees as part of a humanitarian evacuation from Libya
The Rwandan Ministry of Emergency Situations announced on Wednesday the arrival of the 23rd group of asylum seekers from Libya, numbering 173 people, who come from several African countries, including Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan.
The ministry said in a statement published via the “X” platform that the new group includes 85 people from Sudan, 66 from Eritrea, 12 from South Sudan, in addition to seven Ethiopians and two people from Somalia.
Their arrival comes as part of humanitarian efforts to rescue refugees and asylum seekers stranded in Libya, where many face difficult conditions including arbitrary detention, exploitation and human trafficking as they attempt to reach Europe via irregular migration routes.
Rwanda provides temporary protection and basic services to beneficiaries of the program until permanent solutions are found for them, including resettlement in third countries. Kigali has been a key partner in this humanitarian initiative since its launch in 2019.
According to the Rwandan government, since September 2019 the country has received more than 3,000 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya, while 2,623 of them have been resettled in other countries.
Data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees indicates that there are approximately 2,173 refugees and asylum seekers from South Sudan officially registered in Libya. However, most of those fleeing conflict and difficult economic conditions in South Sudan continue to head to neighboring countries in East Africa rather than taking the dangerous migration route across the Mediterranean.
Rwandan authorities reaffirmed their commitment to supporting refugees and the most vulnerable groups, stressing that the country will remain a safe haven for people fleeing conflicts and humanitarian crises.
