The United Kingdom has confirmed that it will not make any additional payments to Rwanda following the cancellation of their migrant resettlement agreement. The announcement comes amid a dispute over a remaining sum of approximately £50 million ($64 million), which Rwanda claims it is owed under the terms of the agreement.
On Monday, Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo stated that the UK had requested Rwanda to “quietly forgo” the outstanding payment, citing “trust and good faith.” However, Rwanda has rejected this request, asserting that the UK has breached trust by suspending some forms of bilateral aid to the country.
A spokesperson for the UK government clarified the situation, stating, “No further payments in relation to this policy will be made, and Rwanda has waived any additional payments.” The UK maintains that the agreement has now been formally concluded, with no further financial obligations.
The dispute over payments follows the UK’s recent decision to halt bilateral aid to Rwanda, except for funding directed at assisting the most vulnerable populations. This decision was based on allegations that Rwanda has been supporting M23, a rebel group operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UK government cited security concerns and its opposition to Rwanda’s alleged involvement in the conflict as reasons for the aid reduction.
In response, Makolo criticized the UK’s decision, describing the aid suspension as an “unjustified punitive measure” aimed at pressuring Rwanda into compromising its national security. Rwanda has consistently denied backing the M23 rebel group but has defended its security actions, citing threats posed by militias operating near its borders. UN reports have estimated that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan troops are present in eastern DRC, further intensifying regional tensions.
Rwanda has now indicated that it will actively pursue the outstanding payments from the UK, arguing that the country remains legally bound to fulfill its financial commitments under the abandoned migrant agreement.
The UK-Rwanda migrant resettlement plan was originally introduced in 2022 by the previous Conservative government. The initiative, which aimed to deport asylum seekers arriving in the UK to Rwanda, was heavily criticized and ultimately scrapped by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The UK had already spent £240 million ($310 million) on the scheme before its termination.
Prime Minister Starmer, speaking in July last year, reaffirmed his opposition to the plan, declaring it “dead and buried.” He argued that the initiative had failed as a deterrent, given that it would have affected less than 1% of asylum seekers arriving via small boats.
A UK government spokesperson reiterated this position, stating: “The Home Secretary has been clear that the costly Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda wasted taxpayer money and should not continue.”
As discussions between the two nations continue, the financial and diplomatic ramifications of the scrapped agreement remain unresolved, with Rwanda pressing for what it claims is owed, and the UK insisting that its financial obligations have ended.
source:https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c05m6mvq45lo
