A group of 12 deportees from the United States arrived in Uganda on Thursday, marking the first transfer under a bilateral Safe Third Country Agreement between the two nations.
The Uganda Law Society confirmed the arrivals at Entebbe International Airport, while the US Embassy in Kampala stated the transfers were conducted in full cooperation with the Ugandan government, though details of individual cases remain undisclosed.
Ugandan authorities described the move as part of a “transition phase,” with deportees expected to remain temporarily as arrangements are explored for possible relocation to other countries. Their nationalities were not revealed. The development places Uganda among a growing number of African countries, including Ghana, South Sudan, Cameroon and Eswatini, accepting non-national deportees from the US.
Under the agreement announced in August, Uganda agreed to receive certain migrants denied asylum in the US but has maintained it will not accept individuals with criminal records or unaccompanied minors, prioritising those of African descent.