Uganda announced on Thursday that it has reached an agreement with the United States to take in some third country nationals who are denied asylum in the U.S. and unwilling to return to their homelands, just a day after a senior official had publicly dismissed the possibility of such an arrangement.
The temporary deal excludes individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors, while giving priority to African nationals, Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Vincent Bagiire Waiswa said in a statement. “The two parties are working out the detailed modalities on how the agreement shall be implemented,” he added.
On Wednesday, another foreign affairs official told reporters that Uganda had no such deal in place and lacked the facilities to host deportees. The ministry’s Thursday statement clarified that Kampala will only accept a limited, conditional intake under the arrangement.
The development comes as President Donald Trump pushes forward with plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, extending removals to third countries. Washington has also sought the transfer of convicted criminals to nations including South Sudan and Eswatini.
