Government Spokesperson Yolande Makolo said no agreement has been signed yet, stressing that the two countries are still exploring how such an arrangement could work.
One of the proposals under consideration is to establish a mechanism similar to Rwanda’s Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) in Gashora, Bugesera District, which temporarily accommodates refugees and migrants evacuated from Libya.
“There is no agreement that has been signed. We are still in discussions. One of the ideas we are discussing is a model similar to the Emergency Transit Mechanism we have in Gashora,” Makolo said.
Under such a framework, migrants could receive medical care, vocational training and temporary shelter while their asylum applications or resettlement requests are being processed.
“They could come to a safe place, receive healthcare, some training and have time to recover while their asylum cases are being processed,” she added.
Once their cases are reviewed, asylum seekers could either voluntarily return to their home countries when conditions permit or be resettled in third countries that agree to receive them.
Makolo emphasized that the discussions remain at an early stage and that no final decision has been reached.
She said Rwanda’s willingness to contribute to international efforts to address migration and refugee challenges is rooted in the country’s own history.
Over the years, many Rwandans fled the country or sought refuge in neighboring states. Following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, many returned home and participated in rebuilding the nation.
Rwanda currently hosts more than 130,000 refugees, the majority of whom come from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi. Most live in refugee camps located across different parts of the country.
Refugees in Rwanda are allowed to work, are issued national identity cards and have access to healthcare and other essential public services.
Makolo said the government continues to work closely with international organizations and humanitarian partners to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers can live safely in Rwanda, work and rebuild their lives while awaiting voluntary return or resettlement elsewhere.
Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore reported that the discussions with Rwanda form part of a broader initiative by the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to accelerate the implementation of new European Union migration policies aimed at returning irregular migrants to their countries of origin.
Italy hopes that the first migrant reception centers outside the European Union will begin operating in 2027.
The initiative has gained momentum following renewed migration pressure in Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa. Unlike its bilateral arrangement with Albania, Italy is seeking to work jointly with countries including Denmark, Austria and the Netherlands.
The talks also follow a joint letter signed by 22 European countries, led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, calling for stricter border controls, stronger action against migrant smuggling networks and faster return procedures for migrants who have no legal right to remain in Europe.
According to Italian media reports, the proposed centers would resemble those established in Shëngjin and Gjadër in Albania under Italy’s agreement with that country.
However, the new model would be jointly managed by two or more European countries, with operational costs financed by the European Union.
Rwanda, Uganda and Ghana are reported to be the three African countries with which preliminary discussions have already begun.
Italy also wants the initiative to be accompanied by broader cooperation agreements covering investment and development in migrants’ countries of origin and transit.
