Audio By Carbonatix
Eswatini received $5.1 million from the U.S. government under a deal to accept third-country nationals deported by the Trump administration, its finance minister said on Tuesday.
Eswatini is among several African nations that agreed to receive third-country deportees as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. Others include South Sudan, Ghana and Rwanda.
The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.
Details of the agreements have not been disclosed, and Eswatini's government is facing a lawsuit from human rights lawyers who claim the secretive deal was unconstitutional.
Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg confirmed the $5.1 million figure in a text message but declined to give further details, saying the transaction was handled by the prime minister and that he was unaware of it until afterwards.
Reuters has seen an unverified copy of the agreement which both governments have so far declined to comment on.
The document, signed on May 14 in Eswatini's capital Mbabane, said that the U.S. would provide Eswatini with $5.1 million to "build its border and migration management capacity" and that in exchange, Eswatini would accept up to 160 third-country deportees.
"We have no comment on the details of our diplomatic communications with other governments," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said, adding that implementing the Trump administration's immigration policies was a top priority.
The U.S. has sent at least 15 immigrants to Eswatini so far, from countries including Vietnam, Cuba, Laos, Yemen and the Philippines. They are imprisoned there, except for one who was repatriated to Jamaica.
Latest Stories
-
Marginal cedi depreciation not a threat to Stability – BoG
2 minutes -
Nanumba Traditional Council Strengthens ties with National Petroleum Authority
4 minutes -
Sterling leaves Chelsea by mutual consent
7 minutes -
IERPP demands full disclosure over alleged GH¢2 billion GoldBod guarantee
9 minutes -
Interior Ministry has not taken over recruitment, we’re only supervising – Muntaka
9 minutes -
NEDCo Manager unhappy about infiltration of fake electricity meters
10 minutes -
Bawumia wraps up nationwide tour, urges party to stay focused ahead of NPP primaries
23 minutes -
Trump warns Iran ‘time is running out’ for nuclear deal as US military builds up in Gulf
24 minutes -
China trip will bring benefits to UK, Starmer insists, ahead of Xi meeting
25 minutes -
Fire contained at Atonsu Bokro Market in Ashanti Region
25 minutes -
Grief and shock after Indian politician Ajit Pawar killed in plane crash
25 minutes -
GPSCP II drives quality standards and market access in cashew and oil palm sectors
27 minutes -
Inconvenient Truth: Africa will Not Be Believed until Africans Believe in Africa
29 minutes -
Fire guts market and houses at Atonsu Bokro, hundreds rendered homeless
31 minutes -
Labour inflation falls to 10.7% in December 2025
32 minutes
