AMSTERDAM – The Netherlands is considering establishing deportation centres in Kenya, Rwanda and Benin to host rejected asylum seekers, Dutch media reported on Friday, as European governments explore tougher migration policies under new EU rules.
According to RTL Nieuws, Dutch authorities are studying plans to transfer rejected asylum seekers to third countries where they would be held temporarily while awaiting deportation to their countries of origin. The proposal remains at an early stage and no formal agreements have been reached.
Sources cited in the report said Rwanda and Benin are also being considered alongside Kenya, which Dutch officials view as a relatively stable partner in the region with established international cooperation.
Under the proposal, migrants whose asylum applications have been definitively rejected in the Netherlands would be accommodated in transit facilities outside Europe until arrangements for their return are completed.
The Netherlands is reportedly working in coordination with Germany, Austria, Denmark and Greece on similar initiatives aimed at managing migration flows under the European Union’s evolving asylum framework.
While Kenya is seen as a leading option due to its political stability and existing diplomatic ties with European partners, the report said concerns have been raised in policy circles over human rights safeguards in potential partner countries, particularly Rwanda.
Talks with Benin have not yet formally begun, according to the report.
The Dutch government is expected to continue discussions in the coming months, with a final decision anticipated before the end of the year.
The proposal reflects a wider European shift toward external processing of asylum claims and increased cooperation with non-EU countries to reduce irregular migration and speed up deportations.
