Why are countries accepting deportees from the US?

SEVERAL poor countries, mostly in Africa, have agreed to take deportees from the United States as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented migrants. What motivates them?

- AFP

The African nations of Rwanda, South Sudan and Eswatini have already accepted deportees - almost entirely citizens of other countries - as has El Salvador in Central America.

Uganda, too, has agreed to take deportees, including one of the most high-profile cases, a Salvadoran man named Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported to El Salvador in March and alleges torture in prison there before being returned to the United States.

The State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone to Uganda's president Yoweri Museveni, last week before announcing Garcia's deportation, which is currently held up by legal challenges.

Uganda hosts one of the largest refugee populations in the world and receives significant international assistance to support them. It also relies on US aid, especially for its HIV-AIDS programmes.

Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, told AFP the government was “desperate” for US backing.

He said the deal likely involves “hosting individuals with criminal records in exchange for aid, political support and economic cooperation”.