Angola and Namibia Agree to Take Back Illegal Migrants and Criminals Following UK Warning to DR Congo
On 28 December 2025, Angola and Namibia agreed to take back illegal migrants and criminals as part of efforts to combat unlawful immigration to the UK.
This move follows a warning issued by UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), stating that visa sanctions could be imposed if the country did not cooperate in taking back its nationals.
While DR Congo has engaged with the UK government, it has not done so sufficiently. As a result, VIPs and decision-makers from DR Congo have been stripped of preferential visa treatment, and its nationals are now required to apply for standard visas without fast-track processing.
The UK Home Office warned that further measures could be introduced, potentially including a complete halt to visa issuance, if cooperation does not improve.
Home Secretary Mahmood emphasized that countries must take back citizens who have no right to remain in the UK.
These measures are part of the UK government's broader efforts to scale up the removal and deportation of illegal migrants. Since July 2024, nearly 50,000 people without the right to be in the UK have been deported, representing a 23% increase, and over 7,000 foreign national offenders have been returned.
