Uganda agrees to deal with US to take in deported Asylum seekers

Uganda has agreed to take in nationals from third countries who may not get asylum in the United States but do not wish to return to their countries of origin, Kampala’s Ministry Of Foreign Affairs said.

The ministry said on Thursday that the agreement is based on the conditions that those seeking asylum do not have criminal records and that they are not unaccompanied minors, adding that details of the deal are still being worked out.

US President Donald Trump aims to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, with his administration seeking to increase removals to third countries, including by sending convicted criminals to South Sudan and the Southern African Kingdom of Eswatini.

At roughly 1.7 million, Uganda already hosts the largest refugee population in Africa, according to the United Nations.