Five EU nations negotiate Uganda migrant return hub

The proposed hub would accommodate up to 10,000 migrants whose asylum claims were rejected within the bloc. Officials behind the initiative hope the presence of such a facility will incentivize voluntary returns to countries of origin rather than prolonged stays in East Africa. The framework mirrors a memorandum of understanding previously signed between Kampala and the Dutch government.

Opposition remains within the EU, with France and Spain leading the pushback against the model. Despite the lack of consensus, the migration ministers of the five involved nations are scheduled to meet in Copenhagen on 4 September to evaluate the progress of their bilateral negotiations with Kampala. Commission spokesman Guillaume Mercier confirmed on 13 August that the EU executive is not participating in these discussions, despite the bloc's existing regulations permitting the creation of external return hubs.