Africa-Press. The first flight carrying deported migrants from the United States has arrived in the capital, Bangui, marking a first of its kind in the Central African Republic as part of a U.S. policy to transfer some migrants to third countries.
The operation took place under strict security measures and complete secrecy, with authorities remaining silent and not issuing any official clarifications regarding its details. According to informed sources at Bangui airport, the flight took approximately 24 hours, departing from Alexandria, Louisiana, and stopping in Accra, Ghana, before arriving in Bangui around 10 PM.
An airport source reported that the group, believed to consist of 17 migrants, spent about four hours at the airport police station completing administrative procedures before being transferred to two hotels in the capital for temporary accommodation after midnight.
The government of the Central African Republic has not yet disclosed any information regarding the nationalities of the deportees, their legal status, or the nature of the arrangements for their reception, raising a wave of questions and criticisms from civil society organizations.
A civil society task force expressed its discontent over the lack of transparency, stating that it has not received any official clarifications despite repeated requests.
Spokesperson Paul Crescent Beninga stated that the government has not provided information regarding the content of the agreement or the identities of the individuals deported to the country, considering that this ambiguity raises significant concerns among the public.
He added that civil society organizations do not oppose the reception of deportees but demand the disclosure of details regarding the agreement made with the United States, emphasizing that any arrangements with social or humanitarian dimensions should be conducted transparently, especially in a country still facing reconstruction challenges.
Meanwhile, political opposition parties expressed shock and discontent over the handling of the matter, calling on the government to clarify the terms of the agreement with Washington.
They also raised questions about whether the Central African Republic received any financial compensation as part of this operation, urging authorities to provide complete information to the public regarding the nature of the agreements made with the United States.
