Greece and Germany are working together on a new plan to create “return hubs” in Africa for migrants who cannot go back to their home countries. The initiative focuses on people considered irregular or whose asylum claims have been rejected, rather than helping those applying for asylum for the first time.
Greece’s Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris said in an interview with Greek public broadcaster ERT that the aim is to reduce illegal migration by making it harder to reach Europe. These hubs would be outside the European Union and would serve as a deterrent to irregular migration.
The plan includes two types of centers. The first is in safe African countries where returnees can be placed under full EU monitoring. These centers would also bring benefits to the host countries. The second is in unsafe transit countries, such as Libya, where migrants would be held temporarily before being returned or relocated. The initiative is not a full EU project but will be led by Greece and Germany as participating states.
Minister Plevris explained that placing the centers outside Europe will discourage illegal migration. “If these centers are outside the European continent, they act as a deterrent,” he said. Greece has expressed strong interest in joining the initiative led by Germany.
The Minister also shared recent migration data showing a significant decrease in arrivals in Greece. Between August and mid-November 2025, arrivals dropped by 45–50% compared to the same period in 2024. Last year, around 23,000 migrants arrived during this time, while this year, only about 12,000 came to Greece.
Several factors contributed to the reduction. Cooperation with Turkey helped reduce arrivals by over 50% in that region, even though Turkey does not accept all returnees. Diplomatic efforts with Libya also improved the management of migration. Minister Plevris said returning illegal migrants is a “major priority.” Currently, Greece returns about 5,000–6,000 migrants per year, but the goal is to increase this number and reduce the total population of irregular migrants in the country.
Why are Greece and Germany creating return hubs in Africa?
The hubs are meant to reduce illegal migration by discouraging people from trying to reach Europe and by providing a controlled process for returning irregular migrants safely to their countries or secure locations.