Sierra Leone to take in hundreds of West Africans deported by US, minister says
Sierra Leone has agreed to take in hundreds of West African migrants being deported by the United States, according to its foreign minister. Timothy Kabba said that the first flight of so-called third-country deportees will arrive in Sierra Leone on May 20, transporting 25 nationals from Senegal, Ghana, Guinea and Nigeria. Kabba said, "Sierra Leone signed a Third Country National Agreement with the U.S. to accept 300 ECOWAS citizens from the U.S. per year with a maximum of 25 a month."
The U.S. has previously sent third-country deportees to African states, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Eswatini. The arrangement to accept only deportees from ECOWAS countries is similar to Ghana's. In 2017, Washington said the U.S. Embassy in Freetown would deny tourist and business visas to Sierra Leonean foreign ministry and immigration officials because the government was refusing to take in Sierra Leonean deportees.
It is unclear whether the deportees sent to Sierra Leone will be allowed to stay there. Kabba did not say what Sierra Leone would get in return for taking in the deportees. He said, "It's part of our bilateral relationship with the U.S. to assist with its immigration policy."
Quick Summary
Sierra Leone has agreed to accept West African migrants being deported by the U.S. - a move that raises questions about international agreements. This arrangement mirrors similar deals with other African nations, but the long-term implications remain unclear.
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