The arrival marks a continuation of Rwanda’s commitment to providing a safe haven for vulnerable individuals trapped in transit in North Africa.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X, MINEMA reaffirmed its stance, stating, "Rwanda remains committed to the program of providing asylum to those in need."

According to ministry data, the group includes 85 nationals from Sudan—a country currently embroiled in a protracted conflict—as well as 66 from Eritrea, 12 from South Sudan, and two from Ethiopia.

Since the inception of the ETM program in 2019, Rwanda has provided sanctuary to over 3,000 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya.

Official figures indicate that 2,623 of these individuals have already been successfully resettled in other nations.

The evacuation was conducted in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Many migrants attempting to cross from Libya to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea face extreme peril. Frequently traveling without proper documentation, thousands have lost their lives in the sea or remain trapped in precarious conditions in Libyan detention centers.

The individuals arriving in Rwanda are processed through the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM). This UNHCR-led initiative provides temporary shelter and protection for refugees evacuated from Libya while the organization works to identify long-term durable solutions, such as resettlement to third countries.

The key resettlement partners that have accepted significant numbers of refugees from the Rwandan transit center include Canada, Finland, and the United States.