Germany is looking to outsource the processing of asylum applications to Africa amid pressure from liberal junior coalition member FDP and a general rise in asylum applications, in a move similar to the UK’s controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. As EU countries currently face an overall surge in irregular migration and asylum claims, Germany has experienced a more than 70% increase in asylum applications in 2023 so far compared to last year – a trend that the FDP wants to address by sending asylum seekers to non–EU countries for application processing. In compliance with human rights standardsThe FDP’s proposal is reminiscent of the UK government’s controversial scheme to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing, which was announced last year. The UK has already faced obstacles in implementing the scheme, with legislation under review since the European Court of Human Rights halted flights to Rwanda over human rights concerns, prompting the UK to threaten to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights if its policy is blocked. It would have to be reviewed if asylum claims could be outsourced “in compliance with the Geneva Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights”, said Jurisch.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 01, 2023 05:44 UTC