Rwanda "cannot remain silent when human beings are being mistreated and auctioned off like cattle," the government said, adding that the small East African nation "may not be able to welcome everyone but our door is wide open."
The statement didn't say how many migrants might be welcome, but the chairman of the African Union Commission said Rwanda has offered to resettle up to 30,000 or transport those who wish to return to their home countries.
"Rwanda is small, but we will find some space!" Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo tweeted yesterday. Her country for nearly a quarter-century has been recovering from its own tragedy, the 1994 genocide that left around 800,000 people dead.
UN chief Antonio Guterres has been among world leaders expressing horror after footage broadcast on CNN of the bidding and sale of migrants seeking a better life.
Guterres has called for an immediate investigation into the reported sale of African migrants in Libya, saying the transactions may amount to crimes against humanity.