Two Afghans and Four Cubans deported from US arrive in Guyana under new agreement

Two nationals of Afghanistan and four nationals of Cuba have arrived in Guyana after being deported from the United States for immigration issues, as part of a new agreement between the Guyana and US Governments for Guyana to accept third-country deportees.

The six US deportees arrived on Friday on a special US deportation flight. Their records, provided by the US, state that all six had no criminal background. The youngest is 20-years-old while the oldest is 36 years old.

Early on Saturday morning, the Government of Guyana announced that it has concluded a migration cooperation framework with the Government of the United States of America.

As part of the framework, Guyana will receive a limited, vetted number of skilled and non-criminal individuals through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Assisted Voluntary Return Programme, a statement from the Guyana Government said.

The persons to be deported to Guyana as part of the framework are not Guyanese nationals, but are rather nationals of other countries who may not want to return to their home countries.

In its statement, the Government of Guyana said as part of the framework, Guyana retains full discretion to review and reject any individual proposed for relocation.

The United States will bear the full cost of the relocation process, and the Guyana Government says it intends to accept only individuals who have chosen relocation to Guyana of their own volition.

The International Office of Migration, which is the UN Migration Agency, will be responsible for the operational implementation of the programme.