Germany’s new Development Minister, Gerd Mueller has urged Germany to ramp up the voluntary programme for returning migrants to their homelands.
Mueller, disclose to journalists that €500 million ($615 million) per year should in the future flow into the returns programme.
“That is much more cost-effective than looking after the people here in Germany,” Mueller said.
The programme, known as “Home Prospects” and which was introduced in March 2017, only has €150 million available to it so far.
It is intended to help migrants get back on their feet once they have returned home from Germany, offering advice on setting up a business, undergoing professional training or finding employment.
Countries included in the programme are Nigeria, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Tunisia, Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, Iraq, Afghanistan and Egypt.
He said that the “Cash for Work” programme, which aims to offer prospects for Syrian refugees who later return home, has been a success.
“In the last two years, we have been able to find 140,000 people employment. For example Syrian teachers who educate refugee children, or people who help to rebuild houses, schools and hospital wards,” he said.