Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
Five European Union countries are moving ahead with plans to establish a migrant “return hub” in Africa, with the first facility targeted to become operational in 2027 for people whose asylum applications have been rejected and who cannot immediately be returned to their countries of origin.
The initiative involves Germany, Greece, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands, which have been working together on a common framework for transferring certain migrants to facilities outside the European Union. The countries have described the proposed facilities as “return hubs” rather than conventional detention centres.
The plans gained fresh attention after Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris said an African country had been selected as the potential location of the first centre, although he did not publicly identify the country.
The proposed hub is expected to begin operations during the second half of 2027, according to recent reporting on Plevris’ comments. Greece is scheduled to assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in July 2027.
Five EU countries behind the plan
The initiative brings together Denmark, Germany, Austria, Greece and the Netherlands.
The five countries have formed what has been described as a core group on return hubs. At a meeting in Copenhagen on September 4, the governments agreed on a common model and roadmap for establishing facilities in non-EU partner countries.
The participating governments said the proposed system is intended to address situations where migrants have been ordered to leave the EU but cannot immediately be returned to their countries of origin.
According to the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum, the Copenhagen meeting marked a move from broad political discussions towards practical planning for return hubs in safe third countries, particularly in Africa.
The five governments have not publicly identified the African country involved in the latest plan.
Rwanda and Uganda have previously been mentioned in media reports as possible locations. However, neither country had been publicly confirmed as the selected host in the latest reporting.
African country reportedly selected
Plevris said in an interview that Greece had reached an understanding on an African country but that the government was not yet prepared to disclose its identity.
German broadcaster DW reported that the Greek minister said the first facility could begin operating in the second half of 2027. The report also noted that Rwanda and Uganda had repeatedly been cited as possible locations, but neither had been officially confirmed.
The uncertainty over the host country remains significant because establishing such a facility would require an agreement between the European governments and the African partner.
Reuters reported on September 30 that Rwanda had held preliminary discussions with some EU member states about potentially hosting facilities for migrants transferred from Europe. Two European Parliament lawmakers who had visited Kigali said Rwandan officials were open to the idea, but that discussions remained at an early stage and no agreement had been reached.
This means reports identifying Rwanda as the final destination should still be treated cautiously.
Who would be transferred?
The proposed return hubs are intended primarily for people who have no legal right to remain in the EU after their asylum applications or other claims for protection have been rejected.
The model is different from schemes in which asylum seekers are sent to another country while their applications are still being processed.
Under the proposed return-hub system, the person’s asylum or protection claim would already have been rejected before the transfer.
The facilities would then serve as a location where people awaiting removal could stay while arrangements are made for their eventual return.
European governments involved in the initiative have stressed that the proposed centres would not necessarily operate as closed detention camps.
Plevris has described the proposed facilities as open centres where migrants could stay while their return to their countries of origin is organised. DW also reported that responsibility for the transferred migrants would remain with the participating European countries rather than being completely handed over to the African host country.
Why Europe is pursuing return hubs
The initiative is part of a wider European effort to increase the number of migrants who are actually returned after receiving orders to leave.
European governments have argued that the current return system is ineffective because many people ordered to leave the EU ultimately remain within the bloc.
The five-country group says return hubs could provide another mechanism for dealing with people who cannot be immediately sent back to their countries of origin.
The Danish government has also presented the initiative as part of efforts to discourage irregular migration and disrupt the activities of migrant-smuggling networks.
At the September Copenhagen meeting, the participating countries said they wanted the model to have a measurable effect on irregular migration and to contribute to what they described as a more secure and humane migration system.
Euronews reported earlier in September that the five governments were seeking to reach an agreement with a non-EU partner country and aimed to transfer the first irregular migrants to such a country during 2027.
The role of Africa
Africa has become central to the European debate over external migration management because of its geographical relationship with Europe and the large number of migration routes connecting the two continents.
For African countries, however, hosting European return facilities could have significant diplomatic, financial, legal and humanitarian implications.
The European governments involved have indicated that they would finance the facilities and could provide additional forms of support or incentives to partner countries.
The proposal therefore represents not simply a migration arrangement but potentially a broader form of cooperation between European governments and African states.
The exact terms of any eventual agreement will be important, particularly regarding who is responsible for migrants, how long they can remain at a facility, access to legal assistance and what happens if a person cannot safely return to their country of origin.
Human rights concerns
The proposal has attracted criticism from humanitarian and human rights organisations.
The International Rescue Committee said on September 30 that European governments should abandon plans for return hubs, warning that transferring migration management to third countries could weaken protections for people subject to removal.
Concerns have also centred on whether people transferred to facilities outside Europe would have adequate access to legal representation, medical care and independent oversight.
Human rights organisations have questioned whether European states can guarantee that migrants will not subsequently be transferred to countries where they could face persecution, torture or other serious human rights violations.
These concerns are particularly significant because the legal status of return hubs depends not only on agreements between governments but also on compliance with European and international obligations.
The five participating countries have said the system would operate within EU law and international commitments. The Greek migration ministry said international organisations, including the UN Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration, are expected to be involved in the wider model.
Lessons from earlier migration agreements
Europe has already experimented with transferring migrants to facilities outside the EU.
Italy established migration facilities in Albania under an agreement with the Albanian government. The arrangement became the subject of legal and political disputes, while the number of migrants actually transferred remained far below the levels initially envisaged.
Euronews reported that Italy had initially projected accommodation for thousands of migrants each month, but the actual number transferred to the Albanian facilities was much lower. The experience has become an important reference point in discussions about whether larger European return-hub schemes can work in practice.
The United Kingdom also previously pursued a controversial agreement with Rwanda to relocate asylum seekers there. That plan was ultimately abandoned before it became operational.
The history of these initiatives demonstrates that agreements between governments do not automatically resolve the legal, logistical and humanitarian challenges associated with transferring migrants across borders.
Rwanda remains a possibility, but no final deal has been confirmed
Rwanda has emerged repeatedly in reporting about the EU’s proposed return hubs.
Reuters reported on September 30 that Rwandan officials had held preliminary discussions with European countries and were open to considering arrangements involving migrants transferred from Europe. However, the discussions were described as being at an early stage, and there was no confirmed agreement.
This distinction is important.
While Rwanda has been repeatedly mentioned as a possible host, the latest available reporting does not establish that Rwanda has formally agreed to host the five-country return hub.
Uganda has also been mentioned in previous reporting as a possible partner.
The final location will therefore depend on diplomatic negotiations and the terms eventually agreed between the European countries and the African partner.
What happens next?
The five EU countries are expected to continue negotiations with potential partner countries.
Their objective is to establish the legal and operational framework necessary for the first return hub to receive migrants during 2027.
The proposed arrangement will need to address issues including the legal status of transferred migrants, conditions of stay, responsibility for their welfare, return procedures, oversight and safeguards against unlawful removal.
The participating governments have also indicated that cooperation with international organisations will form part of the broader framework.
For Africa, the identity of the host country and the conditions attached to any agreement will be closely watched.
For migrants affected by the policy, the eventual rules could determine whether people who cannot be immediately returned to their countries of origin are instead transferred to facilities outside the EU.
The plan remains a developing policy initiative rather than an already operational deportation system. The proposed 2027 start date is a target, and the host country, final agreements and operational details remain subject to further negotiations.
Why the development matters
The proposed African return hub reflects a significant shift in Europe’s approach to migration management: instead of dealing exclusively with rejected migrants within EU territory, several governments are seeking partnerships with countries outside the bloc.
For African states, such partnerships could create opportunities for diplomatic and economic cooperation but could also raise questions about sovereignty, human rights responsibilities and the treatment of migrants transferred from Europe.
The coming negotiations will therefore determine more than the location of a single facility. They could help establish whether external return hubs become a broader feature of European migration policy.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum — September 4, 2026 statement on the five-country Return Hub initiative.
- Reuters — September 30, 2026 reporting on preliminary discussions between Rwanda and EU member states.
- Deutsche Welle — September 30, 2026 report on plans for the first African return hub in 2027.
- Euronews — September 4, 2026 report on the five-country return-hub agreement.
- International Rescue Committee — September 30, 2026 response to European return-hub plans.
