DUTCH MINISTER ASKS PARLIAMENT TO FACILITATE REPATRIATION OF GAMBIAN MINORS
A government minister in The Netherlands has formally written to his country’s parliament seeking approval to begin repatriation procedures for underage migrants from The Gambia and Ethiopia.
The minister’s request followed a research commissioned by the country’s Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) which concluded that minor asylum seekers from Ethiopia or Gambia can safely return to their country of origin.
According to Dutch media reports, the Acting Minister of Asylums David van Weel (VVD) informed lawmakers that dozens of Gambian and Ethiopian minors currently in state shelters or in contact with Dutch authorities may be returned to their home countries.
The minister argued that current rules, which prevent repatriation of children without adequate legal and welfare guarantees, have left minors living in legal limbo for years.
The letter reportedly stressed that returning these children, in cooperation with the governments of The Gambia and Ethiopia, would create “durable solutions” that address family reunification back home while easing pressure on Dutch social services.
“We are therefore adjusting the so-called country policy, allowing these young people to be sent back,” Minister Van Weel said, adding that there are shelter locations in both countries where minors can find accommodation.
“They go there if they cannot stay with their parents or other family members,” he said.
In The Gambia, Minister Weel added, there are two shelters where minors can receive food, clothing, education and medical assistance.
“The Return and Departure Service ensures that these individuals can actually reach those locations,” the minister stated.
The minister’s proposal has already triggered sharp reactions within parliament.
Opposition parties and child rights advocates warn that forced repatriation could breach international conventions protecting the rights of the child.
They highlight that many of the minors fled unsafe conditions or were victims of trafficking along migration routes from Africa to Europe.
Civil society groups in the Netherlands argue that integration pathways should be prioritised, especially for younger children who have started education and established lives in Dutch communities.
The Dutch parliament is expected to debate the minister’s request in the coming weeks.
A decision in favour of repatriation would pave the way for negotiations with Banjul and Addis Ababa on protocols for child return. However, if lawmakers reject the plan, the government may be forced to maintain existing child protection schemes.
The move places the future of Gambian and Ethiopian minors in the Netherlands at a crossroads, highlighting the delicate balance between national migration policy, international law, and the rights of vulnerable children.
Gambia
The Gambia maintained bilateral engagement with European countries on migration issues. Banjul has previously cooperated with voluntary return programmes but faces domestic criticism over accepting minors without clear proof of guardianship. According to the CBS, in the first half of 2025, approximately 130 asylum seekers from The Gambia arrived in the Netherlands.
Source: The Standard
