World Tour: Sending migrants to Rwanda

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: World Tour with our reporter in Africa, Onize Ohikere.

ONIZE OHIKERE, REPORTER: Rwanda-UK plan — We start today’s rundown in Rwanda, where Britain is planning to deport asylum-seekers.

SOUND: [Braverman arriving]

British Interior Minister Suella Braverman this weekend toured the centers where Rwanda plans to hold the resettled migrants.

Under the controversial plan, the U-K will send migrants who cross the English Channel to Rwanda for processing. Those granted asylum will remain in Rwanda. But the plan stalled last year after facing criticisms and lawsuits.

Interior Minister Braverman:

BRAVERMAN: We are absolutely delighted and excited about our partnership with Rwanda to be creating a vibrant community here. To be a positive, secure, beautiful haven and home for many thousands of people.

More than 45,000 people arrived in Britain by boat last year, an increase of more than 50 percent over the previous year.

Sudan transition government — We head over to Sudan.

SOUND: [Meeting room]

The country’s political factions are set to form a new civilian-led transitional government next month.

Representatives from the military and pro-democracy groups plan to sign the deal by April 1. They will approve the constitution days later.

The transitional government is expected to include nine members of civilian pro-democracy groups, one member from the army, and one from a powerful paramilitary group. Some rebel leaders and grassroots political players still oppose the deal.

AUDIO: [(Arabic) It was expected that some of the non-signatories to the framework agreement would join this meeting.

Khalid Omer Yousif of the Sudanese Congress Party says some of the other factions expected to attend a meeting in support didn’t show up.

Sudanese political groups have tried to reach an agreement since a military coup in 2021. The leaders are under pressure to reach a democratic arrangement that will allow much-needed aid into the country.

Ecuador earthquake — Next, to Ecuador.

SOUND: [Community]

Residents are burying the dead and trying to rebuild after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the coastal Guayas region on Saturday.

At least 14 people died in Ecuador. Neighboring Peru reported one death.

More than 120 people sustained injuries. Officials say hundreds of schools, homes, and health centers are damaged.

AUDIO: [Speaking Spanish]

This resident says everything fell apart, and she only survived by God’s favor.

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso expressed solidarity with the affected families.

Iraq anniversary — We head next to Iraq, where Monday marked 20 years since the U.S. invasion. The war brought down longtime dictator Saddam Hussein.

SOUND: [Speaking Arabic]

Hussein Ali Taher, a tuktuk driver in Baghdad, says one tragedy after another followed the fall of Hussein’s regime, dashing hopes that the country would get better.

In 2019, security forces and militiamen cracked down on protesters angry with the ruling political class. The protesters decried corruption and called for better public services and economic opportunities.

Some 2,500 American troops remain in the country. They are supporting Iraqi forces in keeping back the Islamic State.

SOUND: [Arabic]

This Iraqi musician says the aftermath of 2003 had many people wishing for the old days. But he remains hopeful for better days.

Niger rescue — We wrap up today back in Africa.

An American aid worker kidnapped by Islamist extremists in Niger more than six years ago has regained his freedom.

Armed men riding in a pickup truck seized Jeffery Woodke at gunpoint from his home in October 2016.

The 61-year-old worked in Niger for more than three decades, partnering with a local affiliate of Youth With a Mission. The group serves ethnic Tuareg and Fulani herders in the central Abalak region.

SOUND: [Speaking French]

Speaking in French, Woodke says here that he thanks God for his freedom as he also thanked the governments of the United States, Niger, and France.

U.S. officials on Monday said he was released outside of Niger in the Mali-Burkina Faso region. French journalist Olivier Dubois, who was abducted in Mali in 2021, was also freed.

Woodke’s freedom comes after U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken visited Niger last week and pledged $150 million aid to the Sahel region. Blinken thanked everyone who worked to secure Woodke’s release.

BLINKEN: Tireless efforts. And I'm very pleased that we are now seeing that come to fruition today.

Nigerian authorities say Woodke and Dubois were held by an al-Qaida-linked terror group active in West Africa and the Sahel.

That’s it for this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

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