EU nations eye Rwanda for migrant return hubs

Representatives from five European Union member states visited Rwanda last week to discuss the potential establishment of "return hubs" for African asylum seekers. The Rwandan government confirmed the visit, which was previously reported by the German magazine Der Spiegel. The participating EU nations, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Greece, and the Netherlands, aim to have these hubs operational in Rwanda by the end of the year.

The initiative is supported by a new European regulation, agreed upon in June by EU member states and the European Parliament. This regulation provides a legal framework for EU countries to establish such centers outside the EU. Besides Rwanda, other potential locations being considered include Uganda, Kenya, and Ghana. Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe confirmed the visit and ongoing negotiations but offered no further details.

One possible location for these hubs is the Gashora transit center, situated about 60 kilometers from the capital, Kigali. Since 2019, this center has housed migrants stranded in Libya while their asylum claims were processed, with many subsequently relocated to third countries. Rwanda has prior experience with such arrangements, having agreed to a deal with the United Kingdom in 2022 under then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. However, that plan was later halted after the UK's Supreme Court deemed it illegal.

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has the visit taken place and are the negotiations underway?