Sweden says it is expanding a program that pays unsuccessful asylum seekers to return to their homelands.

For the past two years, refugees from Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, the West Bank and Gaza have received funds from the Swedish Migration Board to pay for their trips home, the Swedish news agency TT reports.

On Nov. 1, the program added 20 more countries, most in Africa, as well Kosovo and parts of Russia.

About 18,000 repatriation cases will be handled in 2009, authorities say.

Of these, about 10,000 are expected to involve people unwilling to leave after asylum applications are rejected. Police then carry out deportation orders.

The Migration Board hopes the expanded assistance program will result in more people willingly returning to their homelands.