Eswatini faces new deportation concerns as US sends migrants there, raising human rights alarms; tiny kingdom with a complex history.
Recent US deportation flights have sent migrants, including protected individuals, to Cameroon and other African nations under third-country agreements. Critics highlight concerns over legality, oversight, and human rights implications amid increased deportation efforts by the Trump administration.
The Trump administration has deported over 40 migrants to Eswatini in secretive agreements with at least seven African countries, including recent arrivals from Somalia, Sudan, and Tanzania. The deportations, part of a hard-line immigration policy, have sparked protests and controversy over human rights and diplomatic secrecy.
Eswatini released Pheap Rom from prison and is in the process of repatriating him to Cambodia. The country has received multiple third-country deportees from the US since July, under a deal worth around $5 million. Rights groups criticize the policy for detaining migrants without charges and poor conditions.
Paraguay's president Santiago Peña has visited Taiwan and has reaffirmed diplomatic support, signing cooperation agreements and praising shared democratic values. China has urged Paraguay to sever ties, saying most Paraguayans favour establishing relations with Beijing, and has criticised Paraguayan officials who visit Taipei.
A field trial of the malaria vaccine R21 has reduced infections in Mwavi village, Tanzania, with boosters extending gains. Despite aid cuts, local uptake shows how vaccination can reshape malaria’s impact in high-risk rural communities. WHO approved use in 2023; 2024–25 data indicate sustained declines, even as broader funding risks persist.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te says he has arrived in Eswatini, Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, despite flight challenges reportedly due to Chinese pressure
China has extended zero-tariff treatment to 20 more African nations, bringing the scheme to 53 of Africa’s 54 countries. Eswatini remains excluded due to its ties with Taiwan. Analysts say gains are limited, but the policy signals Beijing’s openness push and aims to boost China‑Africa trade.
President Donald Trump has travelled to Beijing for face-to-face talks with President Xi Jinping on May 14–15, and has said he will raise US arms sales to Taiwan and discuss Iran. China has hosted Iran's foreign minister and urged a full ceasefire; Washington has alternated between a naval blockade, escorts and threats while sanctioning entities tied to Iranian oil sales to China.
Paraguay, a rare South American ally of Taiwan, is hosting a business delegation led by Peña as President Lai Ching‑te welcomes him with military honors. Beijing is intensifying pressure on Taiwan’s diplomatic partners, while Taiwan has sought to project international presence and expand ties.
Trump is meeting Xi in Beijing for a two-day summit. Talks are centring on Taiwan, trade, AI and regional security, with both sides pressing for strategic advantage amid ongoing tensions from the war on Iran and technology competition.