Rwanda has received 177 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya, marking the 24th group to arrive in the country under the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM), a programme aimed at providing protection for vulnerable people stranded in conflict-affected areas.
The latest arrivals, received on August 5, 2026, include 68 Sudanese nationals, 66 Eritreans, 26 South Sudanese, 15 Ethiopians and two Somalis.
The group was welcomed through a partnership between the Government of Rwanda, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), before being transferred to the Gashora Emergency Transit Centre in Bugesera District for temporary shelter.
Since the ETM programme began in September 2019, Rwanda has received more than 3,000 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya.
The Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) said Rwanda will continue providing protection to people fleeing war, violence and persecution.
“Rwanda remains committed to receiving and protecting people who need asylum,” MINEMA said.
Under the ETM programme, 2,681 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya have already secured long-term solutions through resettlement in other countries.
Canada has accepted the largest number of refugees through the initiative, resettling 927 people, followed by France with 332, the United States with 325, Sweden with 297, Finland with 271, Norway with 229, Germany with 132, the Netherlands with 94 and Belgium with 72.
The Emergency Transit Mechanism was established through collaboration between Rwanda, the African Union and UNHCR to provide a safe alternative for refugees and asylum seekers facing dangerous conditions in Libya while awaiting durable solutions.
