EU's Migrant Plans in Uganda Sparks Safety and Legal Fears

European proposals to establish migrant return hubs in Uganda have sparked concerns over safety, legality, and cost, reports the Global Press Journal.

In October 2024, Prime Minister Dick Schoof of the Netherlands announced that his government was looking into establishing one such hub in Uganda, specifically for African asylum-seekers whose applications had been declined. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also suggested member countries consider using return hubs outside the European Union.

Legal experts question whether migrants would be classified as refugees or tourists. For vulnerable groups like LGBTQ+ individuals, such hubs pose grave risks, especially in Uganda, where a 2023 law mandates life imprisonment or even death for homosexuality.

The proposal follows the controversial UK's failed U.S.$759 million Rwanda deportation scheme, which was scrapped in 2024 due to exorbitant costs and ethical concerns, raising doubts about the effectiveness and ethics of such policies. Amnesty International has said that the push for return hubs is a way that EU governments are "denying responsibility for offering refugee protection."