IOM Clarifies Role in DRC-US Migrant Arrangement as Debate Grows in Kinshasa

Kinshasa, April 21, 2026 - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has clarified that it does not participate in bilateral agreements such as the arrangement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States concerning the temporary reception of deported migrants. The clarification comes after the Congolese government requested humanitarian support for the first group of 15 migrants who arrived in Kinshasa under the agreement between Washington and Kinshasa. In a statement, the UN migration agency stressed that it is not involved in the negotiation or implementation of bilateral migration deals and reserves the right to limit or suspend its involvement if minimum protection standards cannot be guaranteed. It added that any questions regarding the scope or terms of such agreements should be directed to national authorities. The IOM also reiterated that its assistance is strictly humanitarian and includes voluntary return programs only when migrants provide free, prior, and informed consent. The clarification comes amid growing debate over the agreement, which has already seen its first operational phase implemented with the arrival of an initial group of migrants in Kinshasa on April 17. Government authorities maintain that the arrangement is temporary, regulated under national law, and part of a broader diplomatic cooperation framework with the United States. Officials have described the program as a short-term hosting mechanism rather than a permanent resettlement policy. However, the initiative continues to generate political and civil society reactions within the country. Critics, including opposition figures and human rights organizations, have raised concerns about transparency, security implications, and the lack of clarity over the migrants’ nationalities and final destinations. Some voices have also drawn historical parallels with past regional displacement crises in the Great Lakes region, warning about potential risks associated with cross-border population movements in fragile security contexts. Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka has previously described the arrangement as a cooperative service provided by the DRC to the United States, while emphasizing its temporary nature and the fact that the costs of accommodation and support are covered by the U.S. side. As discussions continue, the government maintains that the framework remains strictly transitional and subject to international humanitarian standards and national immigration law.