Overview

• In a July 3 interview, Dobrindt said he wants direct bilateral agreements with the Taliban and Syrian authorities to streamline deportations of convicted migrants from Germany.
• Germany resumed flights of convicted Afghan nationals in August 2024 after halting returns in 2021, relying on mediators such as Qatar to facilitate repatriations.
• Berlin maintains it does not recognize the Taliban government and currently lacks formal diplomatic ties with both Afghanistan and Syria.
• On July 4, the UN Human Rights Office and UNHCR publicly condemned forced returns to Afghanistan and reaffirmed a non-return advisory due to continuing human rights violations.
• Migration control became a central issue in February’s national elections, with the conservative CSU pressing for tougher deportation policies under pressure from far-right parties.