Rwanda, Uganda deny deal with Israel to take in asylum seekers
"Fake news," one Rwandan diplomat said of the deal.
CHILDREN OF migrant workers play on a Tel Aviv beach on Independence Day, marking the 65th anniversary of the creation of the state last year.(photo credit: REUTERS)BySHOSHANA KRANISHRwanda and Uganda have both denied that they have signed an agreement with Israel to accept African migrants from the country, despite much publicity from the Israeli government.Uganda's Foreign Minister Henry Okello Oryem on Thursday told AFP that it had "no such agreement with the government of Israel to send refugees here."Olivier Nduhungirehe, Rwanda's Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denied on Friday that his country has signed a deal to accept asylum seekers that Israel hopes to remove from inside its borders.On Twitter, Nduhungirehe rebutted a Guardian article about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to pay Rwanda and neighbor Ugana to accept the migrants, saying: "#Rwanda has no deal whatsoever with #Israel to host any African migrant from that country. This story is no news; it's FAKE NEWS."
Nice try Ken! You thought that you found a new opening to bash your "favourite" country, but I am sorry to tell you this: #Rwanda has no deal whatsoever with #Israel to host any African migrant from that country.This story is no news; it's FAKE NEWS, as you like them.— Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe (@onduhungirehe) January 5, 2018