Swiss tighten regime for African asylum seekers
Switzerland is to impose a more rigorous repatriation regime for asylum seekers from West Africa, using Senegal as a processing centre.
The justice minister, Ruth Metzler, is due to sign agreements in Senegal and Nigeria next week.
During her visit from January 7 to 10, Metzler will sign a transit deal with Senegal and a repatriation agreement with Nigeria. Both agreements were passed by the Swiss parliament on December 20.
The former agreement allows Switzerland to deport directly to Senegal West African asylum seekers who refuse to declare their identities. The measure would apply only to those whose applications have been rejected.
The identification of the asylum seekers is one of the main stumbling blocks to repatriation because many do not give the correct information or do not have the relevant papers.
Brigitte Hauser, spokeswoman for the Federal Office for Refugees, welcomed the planned agreement. “This system could facilitate the identification process as there are more embassies of West African countries in Senegal than there are in Switzerland,” she said.
Identities
Once the asylum seekers arrive in Senegal, Swiss officials will have 72 hours to determine their identities. If they cannot do so, the asylum seekers will be brought back to Switzerland.
The Swiss Refugee Council has its reservations about the planned transit agreement with Senegal. “It would be good to have a written agreement that stipulates the exact conditions,” said Yann Gollay of the Council.
He welcomed the limited timeframe of 72 hours, but said the identification process could also be done in Switzerland.
Metzler’s trip comes a few months after the Swiss rejected by a wafer-thin majority an initiative by the rightwing Swiss People’s Party to tighten the asylum laws.
Before the vote on November 24 Metzler had ordered the Federal Refugee Office to give priority to processing applications from asylum seekers from the African countries of Nigeria, Angola, Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
At the same time she requested the speedy deportation of African asylum seekers convicted of crimes, and those whose behaviour is deemed “anti-social”.
Abacha millions
During her four-day-trip, Metzler is also expected to discuss the Abacha case with the Nigerian government.
Last April the Swiss authorities agreed to hand over $535 million (SFr886 million) to Nigeria blocked in Swiss bank accounts linked to the late Nigerian dictator, Sani Abacha.
The agreement was reached after Nigeria said it would abandon criminal proceedings against any persons taking part in the deal and would drop requests for legal assistance from Switzerland and other countries.
However, the money, which represents about half of the total amount frozen during an international investigation against Abacha, has not yet been returned.
swissinfo with agencies
Justice Minister Metzler is due to sign repatriation deals with Nigeria and Senegal.
The deal with Senegal will allow Switzerland to directly deport West African asylum seekers who refuse to declare their identities.
Last year the Swiss rejected an initiative to tighten the asylum laws.
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