UK Defeats Rwanda in International Court Over Cancelled Asylum Deal

THE HAGUE — The UK will not have to pay Rwanda millions of pounds over the collapsed asylum agreement cancelled by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, an international court has ruled.

The Rwandan government had sought to sue the UK for more than £100 million, alleging a breach of contract after the Labour government scrapped the controversial partnership shortly after taking office. However, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague rejected Rwanda’s claims, bringing a definitive legal end to the disputed migration policy.

The Legal Battle in The Hague

During a three-day hearing in the Netherlands, lawyers representing the UK argued that terminating the plan was “entirely logical” following the 2024 change in government. They maintained it was “simple common sense” that no further payments would be due and strongly denied that the UK had breached any terms of the agreement.

“Rwanda is not entitled to any of the forms of relief it seeks,” the UK legal team told the tribunal.

The court ultimately sided with the UK, ruling against the multi-million-pound compensation claim.

Rwanda’s Response

A spokesperson for the Rwandan government stated that while they respect the tribunal’s ruling and consider the matter concluded, they highlighted a dissenting opinion within the panel.

“We note that the dissenting and separate opinion by Professor Mohamed Abdel Wahab shows that the issues before the tribunal were complex and open to different legal conclusions, including that the November 2024 exchanges relied on by the UK did not validly change the financial arrangements between the two countries,” the spokesperson said.

Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, Rwanda’s minister of justice and attorney general, had previously argued that Rwanda incurred “significant costs” preparing for the partnership. He criticized the UK for seeking to “walk away from its legal obligations” and claimed that UK leaders “did not do Rwanda a courtesy of informing it in advance,” leaving officials to learn about the cancellation through the media.

History of a Contentious Policy

The Rwanda asylum scheme has a long and turbulent history:

• 2022 (Inception): First announced by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the scheme was designed to send asylum seekers arriving illegally from safe countries (such as France) to Rwanda to have their claims processed.
• 2022 (First Flight Grounded): The inaugural flight was halted minutes before take-off following an intervention by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), sparking years of domestic legal battles.
• 2024 (Voluntary Removals): A parallel voluntary programme offered migrants up to £3,000 to relocate to the East African nation. Only four people were successfully removed under this scheme.
• 2024 (Cancellation): Following a Labour manifesto pledge, Keir Starmer officially declared the policy “dead and buried” upon becoming Prime Minister.

Political and Public Reaction

The ruling has drawn sharp reactions from across the political spectrum: