In a controversial move, a top German official on migration has suggested sending migrants to Rwanda if repatriating them to their home countries proves difficult. Joachim Stamp, Berlin’s special representative for migration agreements, made the proposal during an interview on Friday with German media outlet Table Briefings, referencing a similar policy previously pursued by the United Kingdom.
Stamp’s comments come amid ongoing debates over migration policies in Germany, particularly how to handle migrants entering the country via Russia and Belarus. According to Stamp, the possibility of outsourcing deportations to Rwanda should be considered, noting that Rwanda has facilities previously set up for an agreement with the UK. The difference, he said, would be that deportation procedures would be carried out by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).
Russia and Belarus have been accused of facilitating migrant flows into the European Union as part of a destabilisation tactic. Stamp described this as part of a ‘hybrid warfare’ strategy led by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, claiming they have encouraged refugees from Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan to attempt reaching Europe through their countries.
‘With the Rwanda model, Putin and Lukashenko’s propaganda would no longer work. They could no longer tell migrants “Come, we will take you to Europe,”’ Stamp said.
Under the UK’s now-abandoned plan, irregular migrants arriving in Britain would have been deported to Rwanda to apply for asylum. Even if successful, they would remain in Rwanda with costs covered by the UK, a move aimed at deterring irregular migration.
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The idea of outsourcing asylum procedures has gained traction among some political factions in Germany, including the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU), who have long advocated for processing asylum claims in third countries.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised to conduct an audit of Germany’s asylum procedures by December, as migration remains a central issue in German politics. Stamp’s proposal adds a new layer to the ongoing debate, sparking discussions about the future of Germany’s migration policies and its approach to irregular migration.
While the suggestion of deporting migrants to Rwanda is still under consideration, it marks a significant shift in Germany’s approach to handling the challenges posed by migration from Russia and Belarus.
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