Swiss Federal Councillor Sommaruga signs migration agreement with Lanka

Sri Lankans living in Switzerland may face a return home after the Swiss government signed a migration agreement with Colombo. Swiss Justice minister Simonetta Sommaruga signed the accord  yesterday during a visit to the country.

Federal Councillor Sommaruga signed on Tuesday in Colombo, together with Sri Lankan Interior Minister Seneviratne Bandara Nawinne, a bilateral migration agreement. The agreement establishes a foundation for strengthening cooperation with the Sri Lankan authorities on migration matters. It also outlines procedures for the repatriation of persons who will be returned, and thus improves legal security, a statement by the Federal Department of Justice and Police said

“The new agreement serves to formalise... the existing procedures for mutual cooperation with the Sri Lankan authorities with regard to the readmission of persons who no longer fulfil the conditions for continued residence in [Switzerland],” the Federal Department of Justice and Police said in a statement.

From 1983 to 2009 Switzerland was a popular destination for Tamil refugees.However, the situation has eased with the number of pending requests for asylum declining, according to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), the Swiss news agency SDA reported.