The Netherlands is planning to send migrants who have been denied asylum to Uganda. A pilot project to create a transit hub in the African country could begin as early as 2026, Dutch Minister for Migration and Asylum and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom, David van Weel, said in an interview with The Financial Times (FT).

“At present, we have a clear asylum system, but far too many people remain here even though they should return [home]. We need to ensure that those who have no legal right to stay in Europe actually leave,” he said.

According to van Weel, the measure is also meant as a “deterrent signal”: if someone is rejected, it is better to leave voluntarily; otherwise, they will be deported to Uganda. He added that migrants outside Europe tend to be “more adaptable” and more willing to return to their home countries. The Netherlands mainly plans to transfer people from African nations and neighboring countries of Uganda.

The minister emphasized that the main difference between this agreement and the one signed by the United States with Uganda in August is cooperation with UN agencies. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will monitor the operations of the centers.

Uganda’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, stated that the country is ready to accept individuals of African origin without criminal records who are not involved in political activities. Kampala will not accept unaccompanied minors.

FT notes that the effectiveness of the deal with Uganda raises questions, as most rejected asylum seekers in the Netherlands come from Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine—countries not covered by the agreement.

The Netherlands will become the second EU member state, after Italy, to sign a migrant deportation agreement with a non-EU country. According to FT, last year the Netherlands deported about 4,200 of the 19,000 people ordered to leave the country.