Away from the spotlight of the Greenland agreement… the Danish Foreign Minister is taking action in New York regarding the migration issue and is meeting with six African countries.
Despite the great media attention surrounding the Greenland agreement between Denmark, the United States and Greenland during the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen was simultaneously conducting consultations and meetings focusing on another file no less important to the Danish government, namely immigration and strengthening cooperation with a number of African countries, in addition to issues of Ukraine, the Middle East and artificial intelligence.
During the United Nations General Assembly week, which ran from September 20 to 23, Lars Løkke devoted part of his agenda to strengthening partnerships with Africa, along with discussions on Ukraine, the Middle East and artificial intelligence.
One of the most notable of these meetings was a meeting held by the Danish minister in New York with the foreign minister and the interior minister of Rwanda, where the two sides discussed cooperation between the two countries, including what Løkke described as the «innovative model» adopted by Rwanda in the field of asylum.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told reporters after meeting with Rwandan foreign and interior ministers in New York that he expects Denmark and Rwanda to conclude a partnership agreement in Copenhagen next November.
However, the minister emphasized that the anticipated agreement is not solely about immigration, explaining that Denmark is working this fall to build a broader cooperation framework with six African countries, aiming to organize relations with them within a "new and more strategic" framework. This is also linked to the recent opening of several Danish embassies on the African continent.
The issue of immigration comes in the background of these moves, at a time when Denmark, along with Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Greece, is pushing towards the development of so-called «Return Hubs» outside the territory of the European Union, to receive people who do not have the right to reside in the countries of the Union in preparation for their return.
The five countries had met in Copenhagen on September 4 to discuss practical steps for establishing a system of return centers outside the European Union, with the participation of the European Commission and Lars Løkke Rasmussen. The group announced at the time that it would intensify dialogue with partner countries outside the EU.
In this context, Rwanda is of particular importance to Denmark, especially since the two countries have previously discussed establishing a model for receiving asylum seekers in Rwanda, while the Danish focus is now greater on returning people who do not have a legal right to remain in Europe.
However, Lars Løkke stressed that he was not saying that Denmark or the European Union were currently negotiating specifically with Rwanda about setting up a center to receive asylum seekers, noting that there were «several options» under consideration.
Denmark's moves in New York reflect a broader shift in Copenhagen's policy toward Africa. The Foreign Ministry says Denmark wants to expand its partnerships with African countries based on shared interests, not limiting relations to development aid or migration alone. The Danish strategy encompasses trade, investment, education, innovation, and security, in addition to addressing migration pressures.
Lars Løkke had emphasized in Denmark’s strategy towards Africa that Europe and Africa need each other to address common issues, including the pressures of migration, climate change and security, calling for building more balanced partnerships with African countries.
Thus, the Danish Foreign Minister's participation in the UN General Assembly meetings was not limited to the Greenland issue, although the US-Danish-Greenland agreement received the lion's share of media attention during his time in New York. While attention was focused on negotiations concerning Greenland's security and the role of the United States and NATO in the Arctic region, Lars Løkke was also working on a parallel diplomatic track related to Denmark's relations with Africa, exploring new approaches to managing migration, returns, and economic and political cooperation.
