Uganda Receives First Group of Asylum Seekers from U.S. Under “Safe Third Country” Pact

Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the arrival of eight African nationals from the U.S. under the “Safe Third Country” agreement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has confirmed the arrival of the first group of individuals transferred from the United States to Uganda under a high-stakes bilateral agreement signed last year.

In a press statement released Friday, April 3, 2026, Permanent Secretary Bagiire Vincent Waiswa revealed that eight individuals arrived in the country on April 1. The transfer marks the first practical implementation of the “Agreement for Cooperation in the Examination of Protection Requests,” which was formalized between Kampala and Washington in July 2025.

According to the Ministry, the individuals are “third-country nationals”—meaning they are neither citizens of Uganda nor the United States. The current cohort consists of individuals of African origin who sought asylum in the U.S. but were denied or whose cases were designated for removal by a U.S. immigration judge.

The agreement specifically targets individuals who:

• Are not Ugandan or American citizens.

• Are of African origin.

• Have concerns about returning to their original countries of origin but were not granted asylum in the U.S.

“Uganda, having been considered a safe third country, reviewed and accepted a proposal from the Government of the USA to cooperate in the examination of protection requests,” the statement read.

The Ministry emphasized that the arrangement adheres to the principle of non-refoulement, a cornerstone of international law that guarantees no person should be returned to a country where they would face torture or degrading treatment.

While the Uganda Law Society has previously raised concerns regarding the transparency and dignity of such processes, the Ministry maintains that the individuals will have their protection requests handled in accordance with Ugandan national laws and international obligations.

“Uganda continues to uphold its longstanding commitment to providing sanctuary to persons in need and ensuring that they are treated with dignity,” Waiswa stated. Due to privacy reasons, the specific identities and nationalities of the eight individuals have not been disclosed.

The transfer is part of a wider U.S. immigration strategy to partner with African nations—including similar discussions held with Rwanda—to manage protection requests outside of North America. For Uganda, the agreement is seen by analysts as a move to strengthen diplomatic ties and potentially unlock further humanitarian and development assistance from Washington.