The Government of the Netherlands, a coalition of four parties led by the far-right party of Geert Wilders, is studying the possibility of “welcoming in Uganda” African asylum seekers who have exhausted all legal remedies to remain in Dutch territory. This was stated by Reinette Klever, Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, during a working visit to the East African country. The plan still needs further elaboration, but there would be financial compensation for Uganda, where people “from neighboring countries” would be sent. If it comes to fruition, the person responsible for the project would be the Minister of Asylum, Marjolein Faber. Both politicians are members of Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV).
“We have a long relationship with Uganda and it is a hospitable country: it hosts 1.7 million refugees,” Minister Klever told Dutch public television NOS. “Worth a look [al plan]although the ball is in the court of the Asilo owner, Faber,” he added. Faber has admitted that she is interested in reaching an agreement with Uzbekistan on the reception of Afghan citizens who have been rejected in the Netherlands.
In August 2024, some 2,610 first-time asylum applications by the interested party were registered in the country. 42% came from Syria; 7% from Türkiye; 6% from Eritrea; 3% from Algeria and 5% were considered to be of unknown origin. These are figures from the Government portal that collects the asylum flow.
The acceptance rate of the first requests – later ones may be for family reunification, for example – was 57% between September 2023 and August 2024. And the nationalities with the highest acceptance rate are from Syria, Yemen and Eritrea. The Executive estimates that in 2024 “some 14,430 foreigners will have left who were not allowed to stay, although not all of them are asylum seekers.” Those arriving from places considered safe, such as Albania, Kosovo and Serbia, do not in principle receive a residence permit and if they are rejected, in their case, by fast track, they must leave immediately. In the case of Iran, it depends on the area of origin, indicate the same sources.
The so-called return centers are increasingly considered an option among various EU countries – with Italy as the first community club country to implement this measure – to reunite those who have requested asylum and no longer have legal possibility. to remain in Europe. They are initiatives designed to reinforce immigrant return policies and to combat irregular immigration. In any case, putting them into practice requires legal adjustments and, in the case of the Netherlands, it is not clear that Klever’s statement will be supported by the entire coalition.
For now, the only one who has applauded the idea is Geert Wilders, who immediately turned to X. In his account on this social network he said: “Asylum seekers who have exhausted all resources towards Uganda. Less of these applicants and more Netherlands.”
Despite Wilders’ enthusiasm, according to a report published in 2023 by Amnesty International, Ugandan authorities “severely restrict the right to freedom of expression.” On the other hand, the country’s president, Yoweri Museveni, has sanctioned “a homophobic law that further criminalizes consensual sexual relations between people of the same sex,” indicates the NGO. At this time, people cannot be deported to countries other than their own, although the deterrent effect of reaching an agreement of this kind cannot be ruled out either.
In February 2023, the Dutch Congress urged the government to contact Denmark to see how asylum seeker centers could be opened outside the European Union. At that time, the prime minister was Mark Rutte, now secretary general of NATO. The Danish Executive was studying, for its part, a possible agreement with Rwanda for this type of reception in exchange for financial compensation. Since 2021, in addition, the law can be applied to deter those who seek asylum by warning that they may end up in a country outside of Europe.
Current legislation in the Netherlands requires rejected asylum seekers at all levels to leave. They have a period of four weeks and stop receiving shelter and accommodation after that time. They themselves have to organize the return, according to the Dutch Refugee Council, the national organization that defends their rights, explains on its website. Those rejected receive financial help and advice from the council itself and, if they do not leave, they can be deported by the military police and immigration agents.