QUICK READ Rwanda

THE first batch of asylum seekers sent to Rwanda from the UK under a controversial new deal will probably arrive in the East African nation “in the next few weeks”, officials in Kigali said.

Since being announced last month, the agreement enabling Britain to send migrants and asylum seekers to Rwanda has attracted criticism from rights groups, opposition figures in both countries and the UN.

Under the arrangement, the British government will send anyone entering the UK illegally, as well as those who have arrived illegally since January 1, to Rwanda.

Yolande Makolo, the government’s spokesperson, confirmed that the “migrants (were) likely to arrive in the next few weeks”.

According to the Rwandan authorities, the British government will provide up to £120 million (about R2 billion) to Kigali and migrants will be “integrated into communities across the country”. |

THE International Monetary Fund has extended its financial support for Somalia to August 17, giving itself time to consult an incoming government, the lender said on Friday.

The move follows the election of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday and a request from the Somali government for a three-month extension in financial support.

In February, the IMF warned that the three-year budget support programme, worth nearly $400 million (about R6 billion), would expire if a new government did not take office in time for a review of the package by May 17.

Meanwhile, Mohamud has welcomed the redeployment of US forces in Somalia where al-shabaab attacks had heightened due to the prolonged electoral crisis, the Daily Times reported. |