Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said a plan by the UK government to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was agreement between free nations, seeking to safeguard the safety of people and that it is wrong to call it a deportation, Reuters reports.

As reported, Meloni said this on Friday, April 28, while speaking to reporters at the Italian embassy in London after her visit to Britain, where she met UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

"I think that talking about deportation or suggesting that Rwanda would be a country that does not respect rights and would be an inadequate or unworthy nation is a racist way of interpreting things," she was quoted.

ALSO READ: Twelve things about historic Rwanda-UK migration deal

In April 2022, UK and Rwanda signed a migration and economic development partnership that seeks to give a dignified life to people who leave their countries to seek asylum in European countries.

Under the deal, some of these people will be relocated to Rwanda where they will be empowered through different initiatives.

In 2022, the UK received 45,000 migrants which reflected a 60 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Italy is also facing growing pressure from migrants crossing the Mediterranean, with a surge in arrivals compared to 2022. Almost 41,000 people have landed in Italy so far in 2023, against around 10,200 in the same period last year.

ALSO READ: UK Home Secretary inaugurates Rwf60bn housing project in Gahanga

In March, UK Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, visited Rwanda, where she signed the expansion of the agreement, and visited multiple projects related to the migration partnership.

She also inaugurated a Rwf60 billion housing project that will see up to 1,500 units built for the arriving migrants.

ALSO READ: Kagame, UK Home Secretary discuss migration partnership

Under the UK-Rwanda migration deal, those who will benefit from the partnership will have the option of applying for asylum, locally, and be facilitated to resettle in Rwanda or to be facilitated to return to their home countries, having received support through the programme.

ALSO READ: What Rwandans say about UK asylum deal

The UK will fund the programme, initially releasing an upfront investment of £120 million, which will fund invaluable opportunities for the migrants and Rwandans as well.

This includes secondary qualifications, vocational and skills training, language lessons, and higher education.

The UK will also support in terms of accommodation prior to local integration and resettlement.

According to the deal, they will be entitled to full protection under Rwandan law, equal access to employment, and enrollment in healthcare and social care services. By Moise M. Bahati, The New Times

Residents of Mukwanga zone in Buwenge town council, Jinja district were on Friday sent into panic mode after a 48-year-old man, Anthony Mutebe collapsed to death in the trading centre after exhibiting Ebola-like symptoms.  

Mutebe's body which had blood spills from the eyes, mouth, nose, and ears, was left in the open for several hours for fear of spreading a suspected contagious disease. 

Prior to his death, Mutebe reportedly vomited blood for nearly ten minutes before collapsing, prompting the residents to alert the police authorities. The police cordoned off the scene and prevented curious residents along with family members who had converged in the area from getting in contact with the deceased. 

By 1.00 pm the residents became impatient waiting for the Jinja district health surveillance teams, and several individuals, including children, started to stroll in to pay their last respects to their deceased neighbour, touching his forehead as is the tradition in the area, raising more health concerns over the further spread of the suspected disease. Musa Magumba, the Buwenge town council councillor stated that Mutebe was confirmed dead at around 8:00 am.

A surveillance team from Buwenge health centre IV led by Pauline Akiror arrived later and extracted samples from the deceased for further analysis at the Uganda Virus Research Institute to ascertain the exact cause of death. Only 30 select family members were allowed at the burial and social distancing was also strictly observed.

Uganda was only declared Ebola-free on January 11 this year by the World Health Organisation following its seventh Ebola outbreak late last year that claimed over 55 lives with a case fatality of 39 per cent. The first case was confirmed on September 20, 2022, in Mubende district, western Uganda before the virus got spread to other districts of Kassanda, Kyegegwa, Kagadi, Bunyangabu, Wakiso, Jinja, Masaka and Kampala. A total of 143 cases (85 males and 58 females) were confirmed with 22 probable cases and 87 recoveries. By URN, The Observer