Botswana Rejects UK Request to Receive Deported Migrants
Botswana’s foreign minister recently revealed in an interview with a South African TV channel that the British government approached his country regarding the possibility of accepting migrants deported from the UK. While the timing of this request was not disclosed, it follows earlier unconfirmed reports in the British press suggesting that the UK government was exploring options to replicate its controversial Rwanda scheme in several countries, including Botswana.
In a phone interview with Newzroom Afrika, Lemogang Kwape stated that Botswana had declined the UK’s request. He clarified that the contact was initiated by Britain’s foreign secretary and its minister for Africa through diplomatic channels. Kwape emphasized that Botswana was unable to accommodate migrants from Britain due to its own ongoing immigration challenges.
Expressing Botswana’s stance on the matter, Kwape highlighted the inherent unfairness of expecting his country to receive unwanted immigrants from another nation while grappling with internal immigration issues. This firm refusal underscores Botswana’s commitment to addressing its own challenges without shouldering the burden of external pressures.
