The safe third country agreement is a bilateral agreement signed between two countries, which allows one country to return asylum seekers to the other country if the first country deems it safe for them. The objective of the agreement is to prevent asylum shopping, where individuals move from one country to another seeking asylum until they find a favorable outcome.
The safe third country agreement is a critical component of the asylum process. It helps to ensure that individuals seeking asylum have access to a fair hearing and protection from persecution, while also managing the number of asylum seekers that a country can reasonably support. The agreement works on the principle that a person should not be allowed to seek asylum in multiple countries. Instead, they should be required to seek asylum in the first safe country they enter.
The safe third country agreement is not without controversy, however. Some critics argue that it is not feasible or ethical to designate any country as “safe” for asylum seekers. Every country faces unique issues that may make it unsafe for certain individuals. For example, a country that is safe for one person may not be safe for another, depending on their particular circumstances.
Despite the criticisms, many countries have signed safe third country agreements, including the United States and Canada. In the US, the agreement is used to return asylum seekers who pass through Canada to their home country or to Canada. Similarly, in Canada, the safe third country agreement is used to return asylum seekers who pass through the US to their home country or to the US.
In conclusion, the safe third country agreement is a critical part of the asylum process. It helps to ensure that asylum seekers have access to the protection they need while also managing the number of asylum seekers that a country can reasonably support. While there are concerns about the feasibility and ethics of designating any country as “safe,” many countries have signed safe third country agreements, and they remain an important part of the international asylum system.