Court Backs UK Over Rwanda Asylum Deal
The UK has successfully defended itself against Rwanda’s attempt to claim more than £100 million after the cancellation of the controversial asylum partnership between the two countries.
Rwanda argued that Britain had broken the terms of the agreement, which was signed under the previous Conservative government and intended to relocate asylum seekers who had entered the UK illegally to Rwanda for processing and possible resettlement.
During a three-day hearing at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, UK lawyers maintained that ending the scheme after Labour came to power was both reasonable and expected. They argued that the new government was under no obligation to continue payments and rejected allegations that Britain had violated the agreement.
They told the court Rwanda had no legal basis for compensation or other remedies.
Rwanda’s Justice Minister and Attorney General, Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, argued that his country had spent considerable resources preparing for the arrangement and accused the UK of abandoning its commitments. He also criticised Britain for failing to notify Rwanda directly before announcing the policy’s cancellation, saying Rwandan officials learned of the decision through media reports.
The Rwanda scheme, first announced by Boris Johnson’s government in 2022 and later championed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, aimed to deter small-boat crossings across the English Channel. Under the policy, asylum seekers arriving in the UK illegally from safe countries such as France would have been sent to Rwanda to have their claims processed. Those granted refugee status would remain in Rwanda.
However, the policy faced repeated legal setbacks. A planned deportation flight in 2022 was halted shortly before departure following intervention by the European Court of Human Rights, leading to years of court challenges in the UK.
The scheme was eventually abandoned after Labour made scrapping it a key manifesto promise ahead of the 2024 general election. Upon taking office, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the policy as “dead and buried”.
Following the court ruling, a UK government spokesperson said ministers had strongly defended Britain’s position and remained focused on wider immigration reforms aimed at strengthening border control, reducing incentives for illegal migration, and increasing removals of people without legal permission to stay.
After the Rwanda plan was dropped, the government introduced a voluntary relocation programme in 2024, offering up to £3,000 to migrants with rejected claims willing to move to Rwanda. Only four people took part.
Imran Hussain of the Refugee Council criticised the original policy, arguing it created disruption by delaying asylum decisions and leaving many applicants stuck in the system. He said better value for money would come from a fair and efficient asylum process capable of making fast and accurate decisions about who should remain in the UK and who should return home
