What You Need to Know
The UK government has reached agreements with Angola and Namibia to accept illegal migrants and criminals. This move follows threats of visa sanctions against countries that refuse to cooperate. The Home Office has also stripped the Democratic Republic of Congo of its fast-track visa services due to non-compliance with UK cooperation requirements.
Africa. The UK has signed an agreement with Angola and Namibia to accept illegal migrants and criminals after the British government threatened to impose visa sanctions on countries that refuse to cooperate.
The Home Office stated that the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been stripped of fast-track visa services and preferential treatment for VIPs and decision-makers due to its failure to meet the UK’s requirements for improved cooperation.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood indicated that the UK may escalate measures to a complete suspension of visas for the Democratic Republic of the Congo unless “cooperation improves rapidly.”
She added, “We expect countries to adhere to the rules. If one of their citizens does not have the right to be here, they should be returned.”
Under the government’s amendments to the asylum system in the UK, refugee status will become temporary, and guaranteed housing support for asylum seekers will be abolished, with new limited “safe and legal routes” to the UK being introduced.
These agreements represent the first significant change in the framework of reforms announced last month to make refugee status temporary and expedite the deportation of those arriving in the UK illegally.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that the UK has “deported more than 50,000 people who do not have the right to remain” since July of last year, a 23% increase from the previous period, and has instructed diplomats to prioritize repatriation efforts.
In recent years, the UK has faced increasing challenges regarding illegal immigration and asylum seekers. The government has implemented various measures aimed at tightening immigration controls and expediting the repatriation of individuals who do not have the right to remain in the country. These agreements with Angola and Namibia represent a significant shift in the UK’s approach to managing migration and ensuring compliance from other nations.
