By Spy Uganda
The Dutch cabinet is looking into the possibility of sending asylum seekers to Uganda if their request for asylum was rejected. Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Reinette Klever said this on Wednesday following a working visit to the country. The PVV politician said it is ultimately up to her fellow party member, Minister of Asylum Marjolein Faber, to develop the idea. Uganda seems to be willing to go along with the plan, NOS reported.
This would only apply to asylum seekers from countries in the region around Uganda, or from Uganda itself, and that country would be paid by the Netherlands for the service, if the plan goes forward. It would have to be negotiated how many countries actually fall under the category of being in the same region. The Cabinet has not yet made a deal with Uganda. It remains to be seen how people in the Netherlands will react to such a plan.
For months, the Dutch government has expressed concerns about “unrest at refugee camps” in Uganda, where “more than 1.5 million refugees” are residing in areas bordering South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “Living conditions in refugee camps are poor. There is not always enough food and water,” according to the detailed overview about the safety situation in Uganda published in August by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The overview is part of the ministry’s current travel advice and warnings to Dutch citizens. The prospect of “severe punishment” including the death penalty is a serious risk for gay men and women, bisexuals, transexuals, and other sexual and gender minorities.
It also notes the possibility of “violent conflicts” in the border area near South Sudan, and the “increased risk” of terrorist attacks, particularly dear the DRC border. Additionally, the country is among those fighting an outbreak of the mpox virus.
“We have a long relationship with Uganda, and it is a hospitable country. Asylum Minister Faber will further explore the possibilities,” said Klever. “In the end, we want to push back migration. For the Cabinet, it is important that the rejected asylum seekers go back to their country of origin. And that can sometimes be a stumbling block.”
Uganda was chosen as it currently already takes in many refugees, Klever stated. The plan would need to be developed further, but the main point is that African asylum seekers who have been rejected would be sent to Uganda, where they would be taken in and hosted. Uganda would be financially compensated for this.
All four of the coalition parties have reacted positively about the so-called “return hubs” in the past. Under the previous Cabinet, parliament was seemingly positive towards a proposal of accommodating asylum seekers in Rwanda even if they were still in the process of seeking asylum. In this case, it would concern rejected asylum seekers.
An increasing number of European countries have been looking into using return hubs lately. Return hubs are places outside the European Union where rejected asylum seekers would be taken in. They would then move on to their country of origin.
