The transfer of those who haven’t applied for asylum in the UK to Kigali will now take place thanks to an amendment to the memorandum of agreement that the United Kingdom (UK) and Rwanda agreed last month when UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman visited Kigali.
The original Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed on April 13, 2022, was restricted to Illegal Aliens Seeking Asylum in the UK.
However, the new agreement establishes “a mechanism for the relocation to Rwanda of individuals arriving in the UK illegally, who do not raise an official application for protection in the UK.”
A relocated person who declines to make an asylum or protection claim may be sent back to their native country by Kigali.
“For those relocated individuals who have no basis upon which to remain in Rwanda, only remove such a person to a country in which they have a right to reside. If there is no prospect of such removal occurring for any reason Rwanda will regularise that person’s immigration status,” reads Article 5.3.4 of the addendum.
The Joint Committee and the Monitoring Committee, which were established in accordance with the agreement, will keep an eye on how people who have been relocated are being treated, according to the addendum.
In the meantime, Rwanda is making every effort to get ready for the arrival of the British immigrants, despite the fact that the contentious immigration agreement is still facing legal obstacles.
After charity Asylum Aid objected to a high court ruling that the program is legal and does not violate the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees or other human rights legislation, the Rwandan Court of Appeal is due to rule this month.
Kigali, which received an advance payment of £140 million ($175 million) in development funds for the processing and integration costs, claims it is determined to make the pilot program work despite courting controversy over the contract.
Refugees will be thoroughly assimilated into society, according to Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vincent Biruta, in order to become independent.
“We hope that other countries will be ready to join once they see the solution is working,” Biruta said.
“If we are successful, we envisage delivering on the substance as quickly as possible,” said Braverman.