UK govt hope to create an offshore immigration processing centre in Africa
June 29, 2021, 4:44 am

UK govt hope to create an offshore immigration processing centre in Africa

Migrants react as they are brought to Dover harbour

According to RT, the Time reported that the British government is hoping to create an offshore immigration processing centre, possibly in Africa, amid growing pressure to find a solution to the influx of migrants coming to the country.

Home Secretary Priti Patel is expected next week to introduce legislation that will allow the government to send asylum seekers to offshore facilities for processing, the paper said, adding that Patel was in talks with Denmark, which is planning to send migrants to a processing centre in Rwanda.

UK officials have been consulting with their Danish counterparts about the legal intricacies involved with having an offshore centre, and have also discussed the “potential” of sharing the facility.

The Home Office has also reportedly examined Australia’s policy, which redirects asylum seekers arriving by sea to offshore immigration centres in Papua New Guinea and other neighboring states.

The government hopes that the new laws will discourage migrants from attempting the dangerous journey across the English Channel, and also combat human trafficking gangs. Although the legislation was intended as a way to deport migrants to the European states from which they had traveled, talks with France over the issue have led nowhere and London has reportedly failed to secure a bilateral deal with the EU.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to be frustrated by the lack of progress made on dealing with the growing number of migrants entering Britain. Over the weekend, 315 asylum seekers made the journey across the Channel, bringing the total to 5,676 so far this year, the Times reported.

While the government has considered less extreme measures, a source told the paper that the decision to include the offshore provision in the bill was a “pretty strong sign of intent.”

This isn’t the first time the idea of using overseas facilities has been considered. Earlier this year, Downing Street said it was debating using territories such as Gibraltar to host asylum processing centres.

Last year, reports emerged that Patel had ordered her ministry to explore the “possibility” of constructing an asylum processing center on Ascension Island as part of a tougher approach to illegal immigration. The remote isle is located some 6,400 kilometres (3,976 miles) away from the UK and approximately 1,600 kilometres (994 miles) from the nearest continent, which is Africa.

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Source: RT

Image source: Reuters-RT

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”