Rwanda Migrant Plan Lawful, UK High Court Rules

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr. Vincent Biruta and Priti Patel the former Home Secretary of the United Kingdom exchange the documents after signing the deal in Kigali on April 14,2022.

Hudson Kuteesa

Monday, December 19, 2022

The United Kingdom’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is lawful, the European country’s High Court has ruled.

In a verdict delivered on Monday, Lord Justice Lewis said the policy, introduced under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, was "consistent with the refugee convention".

However, he said the home secretary should look at people's "particular circumstances" before sending them to Rwanda.

He urged that the first eight people who were due to be sent to Rwanda had not had their circumstances "properly considered" by the former UK home secretary Priti Patel, and as a result, their cases will be referred back to the current home secretary, Suella Braverman, "for her to consider afresh".

Rwanda and the UK inked the “Migration and Economic Development Partnership” back in April this year, to allow migrants and asylum seekers who are illegally in the UK to be transferred to Rwanda.

A first of its kind in the world, the deal seeks to promote “the dignity and empowerment of migrants”, according to the officials from both countries.

The Migration and Economic Development Partnership concerns all the migrants and asylum seekers who arrived in the UK illegally from January 1, 2022.

Those who will benefit from the programme will have the option of applying for asylum locally and be facilitated to resettle in Rwanda or to be facilitated to return to their home country, having received support through the programme.

The UK will fund the programme, initially releasing an upfront investment of £120 million, which will fund invaluable opportunities for the migrants and Rwandans as well.

This includes “secondary qualifications, vocational and skills training, language lessons, and higher education.” The UK will also support in terms of accommodation prior to local integration and resettlement.

According to the deal, they will be entitled to full protection under Rwandan law, equal access to employment, and enrollment in healthcare and social care services.