Germany has signed an agreement with Uzbekistan that includes provisions for the deportation of Afghan nationals convicted of crimes, while also facilitating the migration of skilled Uzbek workers to support the German economy, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Sunday.
The deal aims to create “simple, unbureaucratic procedures” for the return of individuals to Uzbekistan, Scholz said after a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Samarkand.
Although Scholz did not directly address speculation that the agreement could be used to deport Afghan criminals, the announcement comes as Germany resumes deportations of Afghans following a pause due to human rights concerns after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
In addition to addressing deportations, the agreement seeks to attract skilled workers from Uzbekistan to help bolster Germany’s labor market. “We are enabling the necessary immigration of workers with great talent that we need in Germany so that our economy can grow,” Scholz said.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, who accompanied Scholz and signed the agreement, emphasized the importance of the deal in managing migration flows. Faeser also indicated that further deportation flights for Afghan nationals convicted of serious crimes are being planned. “But we will see with which countries we can do this in cooperation,” she said.
The German government has no direct relations with the Taliban, and the first deportation flight of Afghan criminals in August was mediated by Qatar. Scholz’s visit to Uzbekistan marks Germany’s broader efforts to secure labor and migration agreements with countries in Central Asia, as migration remains a significant political issue ahead of regional elections in Germany.
