Despite a British court ruling declaring the asylum plan “illegal,” the Rwandan government affirms its commitment to the deportation deal with the United Kingdom, which aimed to repatriate illegal migrants from Britain to Rwanda.
Yolande Makolo, a spokesperson for the Rwandan government, expressed their position on the asylum plan, emphasizing that while the ultimate decision rests with the British courts, Rwanda contests the perception that it is an unsafe country for refugees and asylum seekers.
Addressing the asylum plan and the UK court ruling, Makolo stated, in a statement published by her office, “While this is ultimately a decision for the UK’s judicial system, we do take issue with the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers and refugees. Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world and we have been recognized by the UNHCR and other international institutions for our exemplary treatment of refugees.”
“We make a significant contribution to dealing with the impacts of the global migration crisis. Rwandans know what it means to be forced to flee home, and to make a new life in a new country. As a society, and as a government, we have built a safe, secure, dignified environment, in which migrants and refugees have equal rights and opportunities as Rwandans. Everyone relocated here under this partnership (the asylum plan with the UK) will benefit from this.”
It concluded, “Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work. The broken global migration system is failing to protect the vulnerable, and empowering criminal smuggling gangs at an immeasurable human cost. When the migrants do arrive, we will welcome them and provide them with the support they will need to build new lives in Rwanda.”
The ruling by the British Court of Appeal on Thursday has left both the Rwandan and British governments disappointed. The asylum plan to send refugees to Rwanda was initially announced during Boris Johnson’s tenure as Prime Minister, as part of an effort to discourage illegal crossings of the English Channel. However, no deportations have taken place thus far. The first scheduled flight in June 2022 was canceled following a request from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for a comprehensive review of the policy.
In response to the Court of Appeal’s ruling, the British government has announced its intention to refer the matter to the Supreme Court for further consideration.