Rwanda has reaffirmed it’s commitment to a £310 million migrant deal with the UK, which was recently scrapped by the UK’s new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.
Doris Uwicyeza Picard, an adviser to Rwanda’s Minister of Justice emphasized that Rwanda had fulfilled its obligations under the agreement and stated unequivocally, that “We are under no obligation to provide any sort of refund.”
In an interview with the BBC, Uwicyeza expressed Rwanda’s reaction to the UK’s decision to terminate the agreement.
She said, “We were informed of the UK’s decision, and we took note of it. This partnership was initiated by the UK to solve a UK problem, and Rwanda stepped up, as we have always done in the past, to provide safety, refuge, and opportunity to migrants and asylum seekers. This is part of our ethos as a country.”
The UK government has indicated a desire to reclaim some of the funds spent on the deal.
However, Uwicyeza highlighted the investments Rwanda has made to uphold its side of the agreement.
“Rwanda and the UK are important partners. We have increased our capacity to accommodate thousands of migrants and asylum seekers. We’ve upheld our end of the deal, and we believe if there is any overpayment, that can be discussed. However, we are under no obligation to provide any sort of refund,” she said.
When questioned about a past statement by the president that suggested money could be returned if asylum seekers did not arrive in Rwanda from the UK, Uwicyeza referenced a report from the monitoring committee that praised Rwanda’s preparedness.
“We’ve put in a lot of effort and resources to ensure we can accommodate those migrants. We understand that a change in government happens and that incoming governments have different priorities and policies. However, this was a state-to-state agreement, and we believe that this good faith would remain,” she said.
Addressing concerns about the scrutiny Rwanda has faced over its human rights record and the negative perception of the deal, the Rwandan official clarified that these criticisms stem from misconceptions.
“Rwanda is not a deal. It is a country full of people whose policies are informed by our recent history. When you hear organizations saying Rwanda is not safe, while at the same time we are working with these very organizations to evacuate migrants from Libya safely to Rwanda and providing them with opportunities, it begs belief. It begs belief as to why Rwanda would be safe for some migrants but not others, just because of the country they are coming from.”
Uwicyeza’s comments underscore Rwanda’s position that it has acted in good faith and fulfilled its obligations under the agreement, despite the UK’s decision to terminate the partnership and seek a refund.
Meanwhile, other countries such as Germany are engaging Rwanda to secure a similar arrangement to address their migration crisis that has spread across Europe.