The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has officially entered a deal with the United States (U.S) government over a “temporary reception” program for deported migrants.
This means the DRC has joined a growing list of African nations that have agreed to take deported migrants under the administration of U.S President Donald Trump.
According to a statement released by the Congolese Ministry of Communications, the arrangement is designed to be cost-neutral for the country.
The statement added that the United States government has committed to covering all logistical and technical expenses, ensuring that no financial burden falls upon the Congolese public treasury.
Designated facilities have already been prepared near the capital, Kinshasa, to house arrivals. While the exact number of individuals expected remains undisclosed, the government emphasized that the program is not a “permanent relocation mechanism” but rather a humanitarian gesture of “international solidarity.”
“Logistical and technical support” will be provided by the US, the statement on Sunday said, adding that the Congolese government would bear no financial cost for the scheme.
Amid concerns that migrants could be returned to their home countries – where some fear persecution – Congolese officials said no such transfers are being planned.
The decision to receive what are known as third-country migrants – that is those who come from neither the sending nor receiving nation – aligns with DR Congo’s commitment to human dignity, international solidarity and to protect the rights of migrants, the statement read.
The Congolese authorities also said that the scheme is not a “permanent relocation mechanism or an outsourcing of migration policies”.
The US State Department said that while it did not comment on “diplomatic communications with other governments” the government remained “unwavering” in its “commitment to end illegal and mass immigration and bolster America’s border security”.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that Trump’s administration has deported dozens of people to third countries since coming into power last January as part of its hard-line approach towards immigration.
Human rights campaigners have condemned the policy, with some questioning its legality.
The government of Nigeria has rejected the deal, maintaining that the country will not be used as a dumping site.
Meanwhile, DR Congo is joining other continental states, including Eswatini, Ghana, and South Sudan, in receiving deportees from the U.S.
Last week, eight people from different African countries were deported to Uganda.
According to a minority report from the US Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations, the Trump administration has “likely” spent more than $40m (£30m) in third-country deportations up to January 2026, although the total cost is “unknown”.
The U.S has provided more than $32m “directly” to five countries – Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau – it added.
The U.S is also negotiating a minerals deal with DR Congo to help gain access to the central African country’s vast reserves of key metals such as cobalt, tantalum, lithium, and copper.
Under Trump, the U.S has also facilitated a peace deal between DR Congo and Rwanda, although implementation remains a challenge.
