"The programme to remove to East Africa some people who had arrived in the UK via small boats was agreed upon in a treaty between London and Kilgali. It was intended as a deterrent for those wanting to come to the UK in the same manner. However, just four volunteers ultimately arrived in Rwanda. Prime Minister Keir Starmer scrapped the deal brokered by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative government in 2022 when he took office in July 2024, declaring it dead and buried."
"London had already paid Kigali 240 million pounds ($330.9m) before the agreement was abandoned, with a further 50 million pounds ($68.9m) due in April. Starmer's official spokesman told reporters on Tuesday, We will robustly defend our position to protect British taxpayers. Last year, the UK suspended most financial aid to Rwanda for backing the M23 group's offensive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kigali labelled the move punitive."
Rwanda has initiated inter-state arbitration at the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration against the United Kingdom, seeking 50 million pounds in compensation for unpaid sums under the asylum partnership agreement. Kigali says diplomatic engagement preceded the legal action and regrets pursuing arbitration but was left with no choice due to UK intransigence. The agreement aimed to relocate people arriving in the UK by small boats to Rwanda as a deterrent, but only four volunteers were moved. The UK had already paid 240 million pounds and suspended most financial aid over Rwanda's alleged backing of the M23 group.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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