Burundi agrees to accept some US deportees

Burundi has agreed to accept some people deported from the United States to a country other than their own, presidential spokesperson Nancy Ninette Mutoni said, but officials have not disclosed how many people may be transferred or when. Mutoni said Burundi would exclude people facing criminal prosecution or with links to terrorism. No reports establish that deportees have arrived. Mutoni said preparations were underway to arrange accommodation and help the deportees live in local communities. She described receiving people as requiring planning for where they would stay and how they would live alongside residents. The announcement did not provide operational details, including the number of people covered, an arrival schedule or whether the United States would make payments. Burundi’s foreign ministry spokesperson said details of the agreement were not yet available. The reported conditions and preparations have been described by Mutoni; the available accounts do not independently verify the agreement’s terms or its implementation. It also remains unclear what responsibilities either government would have for housing, support or other arrangements.