Migrant expulsions: Congo is discussing a controversial agreement with Washington regarding third-country nationals

The Democratic Republic of Congo is in discussions with the United States to accept deported migrants from third countries, a practice increasingly used by the president's administration. Donald Trump to speed up the deportation of people in an irregular situation.

According to several government and diplomatic sources, these negotiations are part of a series of similar agreements concluded with other African countries. Washington is thus seeking to externalize part of its migration policy by transferring people to countries of which they are not citizens.

These agreements, often negotiated discreetly, remain shrouded in ambiguity regarding their exact terms and the guarantees offered to those concerned. UN sources, however, confirm the existence of advanced discussions with Kinshasa.

The talks are taking place within a broader context of cooperation between the two countries. The US administration is notably engaged in diplomatic efforts to promote a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, as well as to secure access to the country's strategic mineral resources.

This strategy of deporting migrants to third countries has drawn sharp criticism. Legal experts and human rights organizations denounce the practices as legally questionable, particularly given the risks faced by migrants sent to countries with which they have no connection.

Several African states, including Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Eswatini, have already been associated with this type of agreement, reinforcing concerns about the widespread adoption of these practices.

In a context of hardening US migration policy, these negotiations with the DRC illustrate a trend towards the relocation of deportations, raising major questions about the fundamental rights of the people concerned and the responsibility of the states involved.