Uganda has officially confirmed a deal with the United States to take in certain migrants who fail to secure asylum in America but are unwilling to return to their home countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the arrangement on Thursday as a temporary and conditional measure, carefully designed not to overwhelm Uganda’s already heavy refugee responsibilities.
According to Permanent Secretary Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, Uganda will not accept individuals with criminal records or unaccompanied minors under this plan. He explained that Kampala would focus on receiving asylum seekers of African origin, while stressing that the finer details of implementation are still under discussion. “This is a temporary arrangement with conditions,” Waiswa said, noting that modalities are being worked out between both governments.
The announcement comes after confusion earlier in the week, when another foreign affairs official denied reports that Uganda had struck a deal with Washington. At the time, the official suggested that the country lacked the capacity to house such individuals. Thursday’s clarification appears to settle the matter, confirming that Kampala is on board, though cautiously.
Uganda already plays a significant role in the global refugee landscape, hosting nearly two million people displaced by conflicts in neighbouring states such as South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Officials have been quick to stress that this new deal will not compromise the country’s existing commitments to those already seeking protection within its borders.
For the United States, the arrangement aligns with President Donald Trump’s tough immigration agenda, which places deportations at the heart of policy. Unable to return all undocumented migrants directly to their countries of origin, Washington has increasingly sought third-party states to host them. Uganda, a long-standing ally in East Africa, is now part of that strategy.
Next steps will focus on ironing out practical details such as how the deportees will be processed, monitored, and the actual number Uganda will be expected to accommodate. For Kampala, the challenge will be balancing its humanitarian obligations with its strategic partnership with Washington.
