In collaboration with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, Rwanda welcomed 92 refugees & asylum seekers evacuated to Rwanda from Libya, originating from Eritrea (57) and Sudan (35) through the Emergency Transit Mechanism.
They will be hosted at the Emergency Transit Mechanism centre in Gashora while awaiting resettlement.
The evacuation of refugees and asylum seekers out of Libya is in line with a Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 10, 2019 between the Government of Rwanda, UNHCR; the UN Refugee Agency, and the African Union to set up an emergency transit mechanism (ETM).
The Emergency Transit Mechanism aims at providing life-saving protection, assistance and long-term solutions to extremely vulnerable refugees trapped in detention in Libya, through temporary evacuation to Rwanda.
The first group of 66 refugees and asylum seekers from Libya arrived in Rwanda on 26th September, 2019. Since 2019, a total of 2242 people have been evacuated. Among them, 1621 have been resettled to third countries so far.
The Government of Rwanda ensures their safety and security while waiting for a durable solution for them. (End)