Assita Kanko: “The EU also needs to secure a deal with Rwanda on returning asylum seekers”

The United Kingdom will send asylum seekers with no prospects who enter the country illegally through the channel to Rwanda. That deal has been met with a lot of criticism, and within the EU, the approach is also being called “inhumane and undeserving”. But MEP Assita Kanko is disappointed by the EU’s blindness. “The EU itself has no solution, and the people smugglers continue to let people drown. Is that humane and deserving?” She is calling on the EU, too, to secure a similar deal with Rwanda.

“Rwanda is a safe country, and the UK can determine its own migration policy. I think that the EU itself should also make such a deal with Rwanda in order to practically eliminate people smugglers and really help people in need. That will also be my argument with the competent Commissioner Johansson.”

The EU asylum system fails

“The European asylum system fails time and time again. People smugglers have free rein, and people continue to die at sea. People who are not in immediate danger must be sent back. To Rwanda, for example. The others deserve emergency accommodation. That is how to get rid of the people-smuggling business model,” says Assita Kanko.

Endless meetings

Assita Kanko is involved in negotiating a European approach to reduce secondary asylum flows and speed up the procedure. “It is not progressing. We simply seem to be treading water. After more than a year, we have achieved nothing but endless meetings. At least a deal such as the British have is concrete and clear,” Assita Kanko concludes.