A “Rwanda plan” to deport to the African country migrants who reach the EU illegally via Belarus has been proposed by Germany’s migration commissioner, as Berlin considers measures to curb migrant arrivals in the bloc.

This proposal was made at a time when the governing coalition in Germany is under pressure to limit immigration flows, following a knife attack a few days ago at a festival in the city of Solingen by a Syrian immigrant allegedly linked to Islamic State, and the far-right AfD’s surge in regional elections in Thuringia-Saxony.

Joachim Stump, Germany’s Special Envoy for Migration Agreements, said the EU should take advantage of theexisting infrastructure for the reception of migrants in Rwanda. These infrastructures were created after the announcement by Britain in 2022 of its plan to send irregular migrants to this east African country. Britain’s new government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer canceled the plan in July.

Based on Stump’s proposal, in Rwanda the examination of granting asylum to immigrants should be done under the supervision of the UN.

According to him, no other country “with the exception of Rwanda” has appeared willing to welcome the migrants who will be deported.

Stump, a member of the Free Democrats (FDP) in the governing coalition, which was defeated in the regional elections, explained that his proposal specifically concerns migrants crossing the EU’s eastern border illegally.

“My suggestion is to focus on this team. It’s about 10,000 people a year,” he explained, rejecting the conservative opposition’s proposal that the measure apply to all immigrants.