New UK Home Secretary absolves Rwanda in UK-Rwanda migration deal

The new United Kingdom Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, who appeared before the UK Parliament told the assembly that Rwanda had entered into the deal in good faith, apportioning the blame on the Conservative Government which, until its ouster recently following a snap election, was headed by Rishi Sunak.

“I want to thank the Rwandan Government for working with the UK in good faith because the failure of this policy lies with the previous UK Government...”, Cooper told the MPs on July 22.

From Rwanda’s perspective, the partnership sought to prioritise the dignity and rights of migrants, empowering them with opportunities to build a better life.

Rwanda has had a long track record of providing safety to refugees, with the country already hosting thousands of people who have fled conflict.

Over the years Rwanda has hosted refugees and migrants from Libya who were airlifted to Rwanda under the Emergency Transit Mechanism of the Rwandan government and the United Nations refugee agency.

Relocation

Following the decision by the Taliban authorities to ban women and girls from secondary and tertiary education in Afghanistan, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) worked with Rwanda to undertake the relocation of Afghan girls to Rwanda to continue their education.

Rwanda and the previous UK Conservative government had signed an agreement in April 2022 to facilitate the transfer of some migrants who arrive in the UK across the English Channel to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed.

The UK-Rwanda migration partnership envisaged sending to Kigali anyone who made what London called "dangerous or illegal journeys" to Britain on small boats from Europe or hidden in lorries.

However, the newly elected Labour Government declared that the plan is "dead and buried," and that it will take a new approach to addressing the issue of migration.

The UK - Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership was an immigration policy proposed by the governments of Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak whereby people whom the United Kingdom identified as illegal immigrants or asylum seekers would have been relocated to Rwanda for processing, asylum, and resettlement.