Explained: What Is Rwanda-UK Asylum Deal And Why Is It Controversial

Priti Patel, UK¡¯s Home Secretary flew to Kigali, Rwanda to sign a new deal between the UK and Rwanda that entails sending asylum seekers coming to the UK to Rwanda.

The UK government says it will "invest ?120 million ($150 million) in Rwanda's economic development and growth," as well as support "asylum operations, lodging, and integration costs comparable to those incurred in the UK." Both countries refer to the agreement as a "migration and economic development collaboration."

Former PM, Theresa May has raised concerns over the legality, practicality and efficacy of the deal.

A general view of the exterior of Hope Hostel LTD which is getting ready to welcome the migrants from United Kingdom (UK) in Kigali, Rwanda | Photo: AFP

The deal has been met with a lot of criticisms. Human Rights and cost have been the two major aspects on which the deal is questioned.

¡±They should not be traded like commodities and transferred abroad for processing¡±, the UNHCR said. Kagame¡¯s regime has been repeatedly accused of repressing people since it came to power following the end of the Rwandan Genocide.

"Rwanda's abysmal human rights record" was highlighted by Human Rights Watch.

"Rwanda has a long history of extrajudicial killings, strange deaths in custody, arbitrary incarceration, torture, and harsh prosecutions, with a particular focus on critics and dissidents.

In reality, the United Kingdom has addressed its concerns with Rwanda about human rights violations and has granted sanctuary to Rwandans who have fled the country, including four just last year," according to a statement.

The Rwandan government denied the allegations, accusing Human Rights Watch of having a history of fabrication and publishing false claims.

Photo: Reuters

The Home Secretary is ambiguous on how much this deal is going to cost for each individual¡¯s travel and accommodation in Rwanda. The government has only disclosed that the initial investment is around ?120 million.

To add to the controversy, Rwanda¡¯s President Paul Kagame suggested that the UK extradite the 1994 Rwandan genocide suspects - speaking to an audience of diplomats in Kigali he said, ¡°that when the UK is sending us these migrants, they should send us some people they have accommodated for over 15 years who committed crimes¡±.

This statement indicated the five men who sought asylum in the UK in the aftermath of their involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. A spokesperson for the Home Office said, ¡°Any matters on extradition with Rwanda are not part of our migration and economic development partnership and to suggest otherwise would be completely wrong¡±.

Rwanda shows the hostels that will house migrants sent from UK in Kigali | Photo: Reuters

PM Boris Johnson called the scheme an ¡°innovative approach, driven by our shared humanitarian impulse and made possible by Brexit freedoms¡±.

Denmark is also in talks to become the first European Union member to effectively bypass the bloc's divided migration and asylum system if an agreement with Rwanda is reached.

This deal invokes the question of whether post-Brexit Britain is abrogating its responsibility under the international convention, and if Denmark turns out successful in striking a similar deal with Rwanda, the UK PM¡¯s remarks on post-Brexit freedom will be scrutinised.

References

Burke, J. (2022, May 16). Rwanda president suggests UK extradite genocide suspects after asylum deal. The Guardian.

Philipose, R. (2022, April 30). Explained: What is UK's controversial new plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda? The Indian Express.

Soy, A. (2022, May 20). UK-Rwanda asylum seekers' deal: Good news for Kigali hotels. BBC.

Syal, R. (2022, April 19). Theresa May questions 'legality and practicality' of Rwanda asylum plan. The Guardian.