Kigali, Rwanda Press, 29 June 2023 –The government of Rwanda on Thursday took an issue with a British court, ruling over the relocation of UK migrants to Rwanda, rejecting the court’s decision that the East African nation is not safe for asylum seekers and refugees.
The UK government has been trying to send asylum seekers to Rwanda but the decision has been hampered by several legal challenges.
On Thursday, the court ruled that a UK government plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda is unlawful. But the UK PM Rishi Sunak immediately said his government would appeal the decision. He said he fundamentally disagrees with the court’s conclusions.
In Rwanda, government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said “While this is ultimately a decision by UK’s judicial system, we do take issue with the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers and refugees.”
“Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world and we have been recognized by the UNHCR and other international institutions for our exemplary treatment of refugees,” she said in a statement.
“We make a significant contribution to dealing with the impacts of the global migration crisis. Rwandans know what it means to be forced to flee home, and to make a new life in a new country. As a society, and as a government, we have built a safe, secure, dignified environment, in which migrants and refugees have equal rights and opportunities as Rwandans. Everyone relocated here under this partnership will benefit from this.”
She said Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work. She explained that the broken global migration system is failing to protect the vulnerable, and empowering criminal smuggling gangs at an immeasurable human cost.
“When the migrants do arrive, we will welcome them and provide them with the support they’ll need to build new lives in Rwanda”.
During the ruling, three Court of Appeal judges said Rwanda could not be considered a “safe third country” where migrants could be sent. The UK government said it would challenge the ruling at the UK Supreme Court.
“I strongly believe the Rwanda government have provided the assurances necessary to ensure there is no risk that asylum seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy would be wrongly returned to their third countries – something that the Lord Chief Justice agrees with,” says UK PM in a statement shortly after the ruling.
“Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed,” he said. He said the UNHCR have even their own refugee scheme for Libya refugees in Rwanda.
“We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court, “Sunak said.
Statistics from the UK show that more than 45,000 people arrived in Britain across the Channel in 2022, and some died while trying to cross.
Under this arrangement between the UK and the government of Rwanda, this policy is deemed to deter criminal gangs who benefit from asylum seekers.
In December last year, Britain’s High Court ruled that relocating refugees to Rwanda was legal and doesn’t against the U.N. Refugee Convention or other international agreements, dismissing a lawsuit from several human rights groups, asylum-seekers and aid groups.
