Three African countries have agreed to take back foreign offenders and illegal migrants after UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood threatened them with visa penalties.
A month after the threat from Mahmood, Namibia and Angola agreed to cooperate on returns. The Home Secretary has now also secured cooperation from the DRC.
My message is clear, if foreign governments refuse to accept the return of their citizens, then they will face consequences, she stated following the agreement.
The UK government had previously warned it would stop granting visas to people from Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) if their governments did not improve cooperation on removals.
The Home Office indicated that returns from the DRC, Angola, and Namibia had been frustrated—issues included delays in processing paperwork and requiring individuals to sign their own documents, effectively giving them a veto over their return.
It had warned that the three countries faced penalties for their unacceptably poor and obstructive returns processes. During a briefing on changes to the UK's asylum system in November, Mahmood had warned of visa penalties for countries failing to cooperate with returns.
These penalties included an emergency brake on visas for countries with high asylum claims until they take back their citizens in the UK illegally.
Following the agreement with the three countries, Mahmood concluded: Illegal migrants and dangerous criminals will now be removed and deported back to Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She emphasized, I will do what it takes to secure order and control to our borders.
The government estimates that over 3,000 individuals from these three countries may be eligible for removal or deportation due to the newfound cooperation. Mahmood has indicated that nations unwilling to engage with the UK’s returns system could not expect a normal visa relationship, and further threats may be issued for lack of cooperation.
Notably, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Somalia, and Gabon are reportedly resistant to returns deals, which raises the possibility of sanctions for these countries in the future.
