Thank you, Deputy Speaker, and thank you, Minister. Minister, South Africa is required to share the burden of responsibility for asylumseekers in Africa with neighbouring states in terms of the 1969 African Union Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. It is thus that the principle of first safe country of refuge has not been applied owing to the historical burden on our neighbours being in closer proximity to areas of conflict.
However, does the drastic increase in asylum applications in South Africa not in turn now mean that our neighbours should shoulder more of this responsibility? What mechanisms can be used to further bilateral agreements for the harmonisation of asylum-seeker procedures in the region to allow for the principle of first safe country to be applied? Thank you.