After weeks of diplomatic tensions between Kinshasa and London, the Democratic Republic of Congo has agreed to receive its citizens facing deportation from the United Kingdom. This development, reported by Africa Report, comes with a series of procedural arrangements that must be honored by both parties. The issue of deportation of undocumented migrants in the UK has been contentious since Boris Johnson's government and remains a major political subject.

Despite current Prime Minister Keir Starmer asserting that the plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is "over and buried," his administration continues to uphold a policy of repatriating individuals deemed to be residing illegally in the UK. The UK government had previously accused the Democratic Republic of Congo of delaying the acceptance of its undocumented nationals, resulting in visa restrictions imposed on Congolese citizens in December and threats to further tighten measures if cooperation did not improve swiftly.

The agreement was announced on February 6, 2023, following discussions between Congo's Deputy Minister for the Community and Francophonie Crispin Mbadu and the British ambassador to Kinshasa, Alison King. This agreement marks a significant step in addressing the deportation issue, and it reflects the ongoing struggles between migration policies and diplomatic relations between the two countries.