Austria strikes deportation deal with Uzbekistan, including returns of Afghans

Austria will sign an agreement with Uzbekistan next month to facilitate deportations, including the return of Afghan nationals via the Central Asian country, Austria’s Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

The move comes as several European Union member states explore partnerships outside the bloc to manage deportations and establish so-called “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers as part of broader efforts to curb irregular migration.

While EU institutions continue negotiating the legal framework for such arrangements, a group of countries — including Denmark, Austria, Greece, Germany and Netherlands — announced in March that they would proceed with planning and coordination.

According to a government statement, Austria’s interior and foreign ministers are scheduled to travel to Uzbekistan on 7 May to formally sign the agreement.

Interior Ministry spokesman Markus Haindl said the deal would provide an important transit route for people facing deportation to their countries of origin, “especially Afghanistan.”

Austria has already deported several Afghan nationals since last year, signalling a policy shift following the Islamic Emirate takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

Vienna has also resumed returns of Syrian nationals after the fall of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

The European Union is currently developing broader plans to increase deportations of migrants without legal status in the bloc, including possible returns to Afghanistan, despite warnings from rights groups and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.