EU nations plan African return hubs for asylum seekers

Five European Union member states—Germany, Austria, Greece, Denmark, and the Netherlands—have finalized plans to establish “return hubs” in Africa to facilitate the repatriation of individuals whose asylum requests have been rejected.

The project aims to have the first center operational by the second half of 2027, coinciding with Greece’s presidency of the EU Council. These centers are intended to serve as open facilities to organize the return of migrants to their countries of origin when direct expulsion is blocked. The participating EU nations will fully fund the project and retain legal responsibility for the individuals hosted to prevent human rights litigation.

While specific locations have not been officially confirmed, diplomatic discussions have identified Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and Uzbekistan as potential partner countries. To ensure compliance with international human rights standards, the operations are expected to be monitored by organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).