Belgium held talks with the Afghan Taliban last week about repatriating Afghan nationals with criminal records or undocumented status, according to a report by Het Laatste Nieuws on Saturday.
Freddy Roosemont, head of the Immigration Office for the past 23 years, travelled to Kabul as part of a delegation from 20 EU member states to negotiate the forced return of certain Afghans. He told the newspaper that the three-day talks involved officials from Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry, Foreign Ministry, and intelligence services. Afghan authorities reportedly expressed willingness to assist with identifying their citizens living in Europe without legal stay permits.
The office of Anneleen Van Bossuyt, Belgium’s Minister for Asylum and Migration, confirmed the country’s participation in the mission. In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry described it as an “administrative recognition mission” coordinated by the European Commission with partial involvement from Van Bossuyt.
According to the ministry, the purpose of the mission was to restore technical cooperation with Afghan authorities on administrative matters, particularly concerning the identification of individuals for voluntary or forced returns. Cases involving undocumented individuals with criminal records would be prioritised.
Van Bossuyt stressed that Belgium does not share values with the Taliban regime but noted the necessity of administrative cooperation with governments that hold contrasting worldviews. Such collaboration, she argued, is essential to facilitate deportations.
The minister assured that under no circumstances would individuals eligible for asylum, such as Afghan women and minors, be forcibly sent back to Afghanistan.
Currently, over 2,000 Afghan nationals remain in reception centres across Belgium.
