Equatorial Guinea in Talks to Take U.S.-Deported Migrants

Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue confirmed on X that the U.S. proposed deporting African migrants to the country, though no final agreement was reached.

In exchange for accepting deported African migrants from the United States, Mangue said he had asked President Donald Trump’s administration to cover the housing and living costs of the deported African migrants as well as invest in local programs to help them reintegrate.

Many Equatorial Guineans have expressed concerns about the proposal, fearing that the migrants will be criminals. However, Mangue assures that only those without criminal records will be accepted. There is concern that Equatorial Guinea may not accept deported U.S. citizens because of its harsh treatment of sub-Saharan African migrants, including arbitrary arrests and expulsions.

This comes as the U.S. seeks nations to take in nationals to fulfill Trump’s campaign promise of a large-scale deportation of undocumented migrants.

Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, recently said that the country is in its early stages of discussions with the Trump administration to accept migrants deported from the United States. Kigali had previously agreed to a similar agreement with the UK in 2022, but that plan fell through after the change of government in London.

By Allafrica