Rwanda Refugee Scheme: A Sensible Solution Sabotaged by Amateurish Execution
Expert Advocates for Outsourcing European Asylum Procedures to African Countries
Austrian immigration expert Gerald Knaus, founder of the European Stability Initiative (ESI), has expressed his support for outsourcing European asylum procedures to African countries. Knaus, who played a key role in designing the 2016 EU-Turkey refugee deal, believes that this approach can help reduce irregular migration across Europe.
In an interview with Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper, Knaus stated that the failure of Britain’s Rwanda plan was not a rejection of the idea itself, but rather a result of the British government’s lack of planning. He emphasized that the 2023 revised agreement between the UK and Rwanda, which improved domestic asylum procedures and brought in international judges, demonstrates that asylum procedures can be properly conducted in Rwanda.
Knaus highlighted that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been successfully conducting asylum operations in Rwanda since 2019, bringing in and processing refugees from Libya. He stressed that Rwanda is safe in this respect, and if UNHCR can do it, other governments can do it.
The expert argued that properly managed and legal agreements with African countries, combined with development aid and legal migration options, could reduce deaths and save lives in the Mediterranean region. He criticized the German Green Party for opposing the idea of shifting European asylum procedures to Africa, stating that agreements with safe third countries are a moral alternative to the violence, death, and lawlessness at Europe’s borders.
Knaus emphasized the need to move away from the offensive term ‘externalization’ and instead focus on finding legitimate solutions to control irregular migration and reduce mortality in the Mediterranean region. He believes that having a reputable asylum procedure in a third country, even if this is simultaneously linked to the goal of reducing irregular migration, is a moral alternative to the current loss of control.
Despite political resistance, Knaus remains optimistic that the Rwandan model could offer a solution to the problem of irregular migration across Europe. He believes that with proper management and legal agreements, African countries can play a crucial role in reducing irregular migration and saving lives in the Mediterranean region.