The Netherlands negotiates with Uganda on establishing a center for rejected asylum seekers

The Netherlands is about to sign an agreement with Uganda on the establishment of a center for rejected asylum seekers, who will be housed there until they are deported to their countries of origin. This was reported by the Reuters news agency on Wednesday, citing a spokesperson for the Dutch Ministry of Migration, who said that the agreement could be signed in the coming days.

A spokesperson for Dutch Migration Minister David van Weel confirmed that the minister had held “constructive and advanced talks with Uganda” on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The spokesperson was unable to provide further details. The Ugandan Foreign Ministry was initially unavailable for comment to Reuters.

Back in March, the European Commission proposed that member states could set up centers outside the EU where migrants whose asylum applications had been rejected would have to wait for their deportation. However, it is unclear whether such a plan would be compatible with Dutch law and international agreements.

(reuters, est)