Africa-Press. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has agreed to take back its undocumented nationals deported from the United Kingdom. Following intensive negotiations and strong pressure from British authorities, London and Kinshasa have finally reached an agreement under which the DRC commits to readmitting its citizens deported from the UK.
The announcement followed a meeting between the UK ambassador to the DRC and Crispin Mbadu, the deputy minister in charge of the Congolese diaspora and Francophonie, after weeks of diplomatic tensions between London and Kinshasa.
According to the British side, the DRC has now agreed to accept the return of its undocumented nationals deported from the UK, including individuals convicted by British courts.
While no official statement has been issued by Congolese authorities, London has presented the compromise as a positive step. Welcoming the agreement, UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood warned that any foreign government refusing to accept the return of its nationals “would face consequences.”
Although London had previously criticized the DRC for failing to cooperate on the return of undocumented nationals, pressure on Kinshasa has steadily increased since late December, when British authorities imposed visa restrictions to force negotiations. The UK subsequently threatened to go further by fully suspending the issuance of visas to Congolese citizens.
Before the agreement was reached, several meetings were held between the two sides. According to an informed source, further talks will now take place to define the practical arrangements for return operations, with the DRC setting one key condition: that returns be carried out under strict conditions, including prior identity verification and full respect for human rights. Kinshasa also stresses that deportation cannot proceed if there is any doubt about the individual’s nationality.
