For the first time, the government of Eswatini has disclosed that it received over $5 million from the United States in exchange for hosting a group of migrants targeted in Washington’s large-scale deportation campaign, under secret agreements concluded by the Trump administration with several African countries.
Finance Minister Neil Rijkenberg told Parliament that the country received $5.1 million, noting that his ministry was unaware of the agreement’s details until inquiring about it, and that the funds were transferred to the National Disaster Management Agency’s account, even though it is not legally authorized to use any funds that were not officially approved.
According to a document revealed by Human Rights Watch last September, Eswatini agreed to receive 160 deportees in exchange for the stated sum, intended to support its border and migration management capacities. However, the small kingdom has so far received only 15 individuals, arriving in two batches via a U.S. military-chartered plane in July and October.
U.S. authorities say some of the deportees have been convicted of serious crimes, including murder and sexual assault against children, and are currently held without charges in the high-security Matsava prison.
Human rights organizations and local lawyers have begun legal proceedings to challenge the legality of detaining the deportees in the country, while uncertainty continues over the official Eswatini authority that signed the agreement with Washington.
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, remains the last absolute monarchy in Africa, ruled by King Mswati III since 1986, amid ongoing accusations of human rights violations by his government.