Eswatini has acknowledged receiving US$5.1 million from the United States as part of a deal that allows Washington to deport third-country nationals to the southern African kingdom, according to Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg. The confirmation marks the first public disclosure of the financial terms behind the controversial arrangement.
Eswatini is one of several African countries, including South Sudan, Ghana and Rwanda, that agreed to take in migrants expelled under President Donald Trump’s intensified crackdown on illegal immigration. Until now, the specific details of these agreements had been kept secret, sparking criticism and a lawsuit by human rights lawyers who argue that Eswatini’s government acted unconstitutionally by negotiating the deal without transparency.
Rijkenberg confirmed the payment via text message but said he could not provide additional information, noting that the agreement was handled directly by the prime minister’s office. He added that he was unaware of the arrangement until after it had been finalised.
Reuters has reviewed an unverified copy of what appears to be the agreement, though neither government has officially commented on its authenticity. The document, dated 14 May and signed in Mbabane, states that the U.S. would provide US$5.1 million to help Eswatini “build its border and migration management capacity”. In exchange, the country would accept up to 160 deportees from various nations.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson declined to discuss the specifics of the diplomatic exchanges but stressed that implementing the Trump administration’s immigration policies remained a top priority.
So far, the U.S. has sent at least 15 migrants to Eswatini from countries including Vietnam, Cuba, Laos, Yemen and the Philippines. All remain in detention except for one individual who has since been returned to Jamaica.
The revelation has intensified debate in Eswatini over the government’s handling of the agreement, with legal challenges still ongoing and public pressure mounting for full disclosure.
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