🇪🇷 🇬🇧 UK threatens visa bans over Eritrea migrant return dispute

The UK has threatened to ban all Eritreans from entering the country unless Eritrea accepts more returns of small boat migrants and foreign national offenders. From Thursday, Eritrean diplomats in the UK will be barred from travelling more than 60km outside London without permission, while fast-track visas for VIPs will be halted. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Eritrea had refused to accept the return of criminals and people with no right to remain, while the Home Office said only seven people were returned from the UK to Eritrea in the 12 months to June, compared with more than 5,800 Eritreans who arrived in the UK via small boats over the same period.

Eritrea called the move a perfunctory political gimmick and said the UK had not issued a single visa to an Eritrean official since 2023, which the Home Office denies. Eritreans accounted for 18% of small boat arrivals to the UK in the 12 months to June, according to House of Commons Library figures.

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@africaintel