Angola and Namibia have agreed to accept the return of illegal migrants and convicted criminals after the British government threatened visa penalties against countries that refuse to cooperate, the UK Home Office said late on Saturday.
In contrast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been stripped of fast-track visa services and preferential treatment for senior officials after failing to meet Britain’s requirements on cooperation, according to the Home Office.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood warned that London could escalate the measures to a complete suspension of visas for the DRC unless “co-operation rapidly improves”.
“We expect countries to play by the rules. If one of their citizens has no right to be here, they must take them back,” Ms Mahmood said.
The agreements mark the first major shift under reforms announced last month aimed at making refugee status temporary and accelerating the removal of people who enter Britain illegally.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK has removed more than 50,000 people with no legal right to remain since July last year, representing a 23 percent increase compared with the previous period.
She added that British diplomats have been instructed to prioritise return agreements with countries whose nationals are found to be living illegally in the UK.
