Rwanda has made it clear that it will not be refunding the UK after a multi-million-pound migrant deal between the two countries was terminated.
The plan, which involved deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda, was announced by the previous Conservative government and had seen Rwanda receive £240m ($310m) since its revelation in 2022.
However, legal challenges prevented the scheme from taking off, and the UK expressed hope that some money from the deal could be recovered. In response, a spokesperson for Rwanda’s government stated that the agreement did not require any refund and that the partnership was extensively discussed before.
Workers in Rwanda who were hired to build housing for the asylum seekers expressed concerns about their future following UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to scrap the scheme. They fear that the scheme’s cancellation could significantly impact their lives and the local economy, with worries about poverty returning to the area.
Since his party’s recent election victory, Mr. Starmer has criticized the Rwanda scheme as an expensive “gimmick” and has pledged to focus on launching a new Border Security Command to combat people-smuggling gangs. The UK Supreme Court had previously ruled the deportation plan as unlawful, while human rights organizations condemned it as cruel and draconian.
Illegal migration remains a significant challenge for the UK government, with over 13,000 people crossing the English Channel in small boats so far this year. Denmark had also considered a similar deal with Rwanda but decided to put the discussions on hold, citing the need for a more unified European approach to tackle illegal migration.
The future of the asylum seekers and the workers in Rwanda remains uncertain following the termination of the UK-Rwanda migrant deal. Despite President Paul Kagame’s initial suggestion of a possible refund if no asylum seekers were sent to the country, Rwanda has clarified that there is no obligation to repay the UK.
