Belgian Minister of Asylum and Migration Annelene van Bossuet is planning missions to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Turkey this year to negotiate migrant return agreements. A representative of the Afghan administration is also expected to visit Belgium as part of these efforts, the Belga news agency reported, quoted by BTA.
Bilateral negotiations with countries of origin on voluntary and forced returns are among the main priorities for the year, Annelene van Bossuet said, stressing that countries that do not want to cooperate on migrant returns will not be able to count on "Belgian support".
Belgian asylum services are already preparing missions to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Turkey, where specific arrangements for migrant return will be discussed with the relevant authorities. Last year, asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Turkey ranked fourth and fifth respectively in terms of the number of asylum applications submitted to Belgium.
Belgian authorities say that many people in their countries of origin are not aware of what an asylum application actually entails, as they believe people smugglers who claim that everything is much easier in Europe.
Afghanistan also remains a focus of Belgian return policy. A technical and administrative mission was carried out in the country last week as part of a wider European initiative. During the visit, talks were held with Taliban authorities on the possibilities of returning Afghan citizens. A representative of the Afghan administration is expected to visit Brussels in the spring for talks with the European Union.
Afghanistan remains the leading country of origin of asylum seekers in Belgium in 2025. The number of applications from Afghan citizens increased by 11% compared to the previous year and reached 3,947 out of a total of 34,439 applications submitted.