The Rwandan government has launched legal action against the UK to seek payments it claims it is owed under a scrapped migrant deal between the two countries.
Rwanda has filed a case with the Netherlands-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, arguing the UK has failed to honour commitments made in a deal to send some asylum seekers to the African nation.
Under the deal, which was signed by the previous Conservative government, the UK agreed to make payments to Rwanda to host asylum seekers and support its economy.
But after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer axed the deal in 2024, the Home Office said £220m in scheduled future payments will not have to be paid to Rwanda.
A Home Office spokesperson said: The previous government's Rwanda policy wasted vast sums of taxpayer time and money.
The Rwandan government has not responded to the BBC's requests for comment. However, its ministry of foreign affairs emphasized ongoing diplomatic negotiations prior to initiating arbitration.
The article states that the arbitration concerns the performance of specific commitments under the treaty. The previous Conservative government allocated around £700m to the Rwanda policy, intended to deter migrants from crossing the English Channel.
Despite the expenditure, only four volunteers were relocated to Rwanda before the Labour government's termination of the plan. The deal, containing a break clause, allowed either party to withdraw by providing notice.
In December 2024, the Home Office indicated that an additional £100m might have been due under the treaty, along with £120m upon transferring 300 individuals.
The New Times article quotes a Rwandan government adviser stating that the country aims for a legal determination of each party's obligations under the treaty through arbitration, as specified in the treaty between the UK and Rwanda.
Rwanda initiated arbitration proceedings in November, with the Permanent Court of Arbitration's case status currently listed as pending. The arbitration body can issue binding rulings if disputes remain unresolved.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticized the Labour decision to cancel the Rwanda scheme, warning of substantial costs to taxpayers and claiming that Labour's actions led to the current legal challenges.
