EU Coalition to Launch Africa's First Migrant Return Hub by 2027

A coalition of five European Union member states (Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark, and the Netherlands) plans to open the first "return hub" in an African country by the second half of 2027. This initiative targets migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected by EU courts.

Greece's Minister of Migration, Thanos Plevris, announced the timeline during an interview with Greek channel ANT1 and noted that the launch would coincide with Greece's presidency of the EU Council. Although an African host country has been selected, Plevris did not disclose its name, with Rwanda and Uganda being speculated as potential locations.

The facilities will function as open transit centers, not closed detention centers, with legal responsibility remaining with the five EU states. The project will be fully financed by the coalition, and operations will be monitored by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration to ensure compliance with international law and human rights standards.