Summary
Rwanda is taking legal action against the United Kingdom for not making payments linked to a halted deal on resettling asylum seekers. The dispute is being handled by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where Rwanda claims the UK did not fulfill its promises. The deal, initiated by the previous UK government, was stopped by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration in 2024.
Key Facts
- Rwanda has filed a legal case against the UK at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
- The case revolves around a scrapped deal where the UK was to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
- Under the agreement, the UK was supposed to pay Rwanda to host the asylum seekers and help its economy.
- After the deal was cancelled in 2024 by the new UK government, payments totaling £220 million were halted.
- Rwanda began arbitration proceedings in November, as shown on the arbitration court's website.
- The Permanent Court of Arbitration is in The Hague, Netherlands, and can issue final, binding rulings.
- Originally, the deal involved spending about £700 million, with only four volunteers being sent to Rwanda.
