The United Kingdom is set to offer asylum seekers whose claims have been rejected a sum of £3,000 (approximately $3,800) to relocate to Rwanda. This initiative is part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to curb irregular migration.
While the UK already has a program in place to assist failed asylum seekers in returning to their home countries, this new measure is specifically aimed at those who are unable to go back to their countries of origin.
However, the plan to deport illegal arrivals to Rwanda has faced obstacles in the courts due to concerns about the safety of the East African nation. To address these concerns, the UK government is pushing to designate Rwanda as a “safe” country through proposed legislation.
Despite facing setbacks in the House of Lords, with amendments making it more challenging to declare Rwanda as safe and requiring compliance with domestic and international law, Prime Minister Sunak remains committed to the plan.
As part of the agreement, Kigali has already received $300 million from London for accepting deportees. Despite legal challenges and international criticism, deportation flights under the April 2022 agreement have yet to commence. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Sunak has affirmed his determination to proceed with the initiative.
