Botswana’s foreign minister has told a South African TV channel that the British government approached his country to ask whether it would be willing to receive migrants deported from the UK.
He didn’t say when the approach was made.
It follows unconfirmed reports earlier this month in the British press that the UK government was seeking to replicate its controversial Rwanda scheme in Botswana, Armenia, Ivory Coast and Costa Rica.
Speaking in a phone interview on Newzroom Afrika, Lemogang Kwape said Botswana refused the request. He added that contact was made by Britain’s foreign secretary and its minister for Africa through “diplomatic channels”.
Mr Kwape said Botswana was unable to accept migrants from Britain because it was dealing with its own immigration issues.
“The British government does not want these people in their country so they want to ferry them to a faraway country….To receive unwanted immigrants from another country while we’re dealing with our own problems in the region would be unfair to Botswana,” he said.