The Netherlands is close to finalizing an agreement with Uganda to send asylum seekers to the East African country, according to sources cited by the Dutch outlet RTL Nieuws.
The proposed plan would involve migrants who have been denied asylum in the Kingdom being sent to Uganda, where they would await return to their countries of origin. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Wiehl anticipates that the final agreement will be signed on the sidelines of the current UN General Assembly session in New York this week.
The publication notes that in practice, returning migrants to their birth countries is often extremely difficult, as the migrants themselves are unwilling to return and their home countries are frequently reluctant to accept them. Furthermore, the Netherlands may face challenges related to human rights compliance and the detention conditions for deportees in Uganda.
The idea of establishing a migrant processing center in Uganda was proposed by Dutch conservatives in October 2024, at which point the government began exploring the concept.
If Amsterdam finalizes the agreement with Kampala, the Netherlands would be responsible for covering the costs of the migrant reception centers. The exact financial amounts remain undisclosed, and no approximate date for the first deportations to Uganda has been set.
In 2024, UK conservatives proposed a similar plan to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda. London had transferred £700 million to its African partner; however, the initiative was canceled after the Conservative party lost the general election and the Labour party came to power.
Alexander Kholodov
