Muthomi Ireri
The Rwandan government has acknowledged the UK’s intention to halt its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. In a statement released late Monday, the Rwandan government spokesperson’s office emphasized that the deal was initiated by the UK to address its own irregular immigration crisis, which is a UK problem, not Rwanda’s.
This is the first official comment from Rwandan authorities regarding the new British Labour government’s plan to cancel the program. The plan has faced criticism from human rights organizations and others who view it as cruel and inhumane.
It remains unclear whether the Rwandan government is responding to media reports or has received official notification about the termination of the agreement.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated at his first press conference on Saturday that the Rwanda deportation plan was “dead and buried before it even started.” Starmer criticized the plan as a “gimmick” but did not specify what his government would do differently as record numbers of people have arrived in the UK in the first half of the year.
The Rwanda deportation plan was intended to deter migrants from risking dangerous journeys by presenting the possibility of being deported to East Africa. However, it has cost the British government hundreds of millions of dollars without being implemented.
Rwanda’s statement noted that the government has fully honored its part of the agreement, including financial commitments.
Dj Vnyash
Silverio Omari
