Washington (BN24) – Uganda has reached an agreement with the United States to accept deported migrants, but only under strict conditions that exclude individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors, officials said Thursday.
In a statement, Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the two countries had “concluded” the deal and were now working on the “detailed modalities” of how it will be carried out. The ministry also emphasized that Kampala preferred the deportees to be of African nationalities.
It remains unclear whether a formal agreement has been signed, but the announcement marks the latest step in Uganda’s long-standing reputation for hosting displaced populations. However, International Relations Minister Henry Okello Oryem stressed that the arrangement has clear limits.
“Uganda is known worldwide for its benevolent refugee policy, but there are boundaries,” Oryem told The Associated Press. “We are talking about cartels — people unwanted in their own countries. How can we integrate them into local communities in Uganda?”
He further questioned the fairness of the arrangement, noting that discussions between Kampala and Washington were focused on “visas, tariffs, sanctions, and related issues — not accepting illegal aliens from the U.S. That would be unfair to Ugandans.”
The development comes weeks after the United States deported five men with criminal backgrounds to Eswatini and sent another eight to South Sudan. Uganda’s stipulation that it will not take in individuals with criminal histories reflects concerns about security and integration challenges in host communities.
