Uganda backtracks on US third-country deportation deal, sets conditions for receiving migrants
Uganda has confirmed an agreement with the U.S. to receive certain third-country nationals denied asylum.
The decision came after publicly denying the existence of such arrangements initially.
Uganda has stipulated conditions, excluding individuals with criminal records or unaccompanied minors.
Preference will be provided to migrants of African nationalities, reflecting regional intents.
Uganda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the third-country deportation agreement on Thursday, less than 24 hours after insisting no such arrangement existed.
Reports earlier in the week suggested that Washington had concluded a deal with Kampala to transfer some deportees to Uganda as part of President Donald Trump's immigration policy, which has sought to relocate migrants with rejected asylum claims or questionable documentation to third countries.
The Ugandan government, in a statement released by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem Okello initially dismissed the reports, but has now acknowledged the agreement while stressing that individuals with criminal records or unaccompanied minors will not be accepted, and that preference will be given to African nationals.
The agreement follows President Donald Trump's immigration policy, which has included the deportation of convicted felons and migrants with questionable documents to third countries.
Uganda seals deal, outlines conditions
The Ugandan government has outlined strict conditions under which it will receive migrants under its new agreement with the United States.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uganda will only take in third-country nationals who have been denied asylum in the U.S. and are unwilling to return to their countries of origin.
However, the arrangement excludes certain categories of people. '' This is a temporary arrangement, individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors will not be accepted,' Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, the ministry's permanent secretary, said in a statement.
He further stressed that Uganda would give preference to receiving migrants of African nationalities, reflecting Kampala's intention to manage the program within a regional and cultural framework.
By setting these conditions, Uganda has positioned itself among the few African nations openly cooperating with Washington on migrant resettlement under the U.S. third-country deportation program, joining South Sudan, Rwanda, and Eswatini.
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