Uganda has announced a new agreement with the United States to temporarily host migrants who are denied asylum in America but are unable or unwilling to return to their countries of origin. The deal, confirmed Thursday by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, positions Uganda as a third-country destination for individuals caught in limbo under US immigration processes.
Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Vincent Bagiire said in a statement posted on X that the arrangement applies specifically to “Third Country Nationals who may not be granted asylum in the United States, but are reluctant to or may have concerns about returning to their countries of origin.” He emphasized that the deal is a “temporary arrangement,” though no timeline was provided for how long migrants would be hosted in Uganda.
Uganda has long been recognized for its open-door policy toward refugees and currently hosts more than 1.6 million displaced people, one of the largest refugee populations in the world. Most of them come from neighboring conflict zones such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The new agreement with Washington, however, extends Uganda’s role to people from outside the region, raising fresh questions about capacity and resources.
The announcement comes as the United States faces mounting pressure to manage its asylum system, with thousands of migrants arriving at its southern border every week. US officials have increasingly sought third-country solutions as part of broader efforts to handle asylum claims more efficiently and deter irregular migration. Uganda’s acceptance signals a willingness to support Washington’s approach, though the details of implementation and support for Kampala remain unclear.
While officials in Kampala framed the agreement as a humanitarian gesture consistent with Uganda’s refugee record, the deal is expected to draw scrutiny at home and abroad. Analysts warn that the country’s strained infrastructure and limited resources could face additional burdens, even as international partners praise Uganda for once again stepping forward in global refugee management.
