Rwanda Acknowledges UK’s Decision to End Deportation Agreement

The Rwandan government acknowledges the UK’s decision to halt deportations of asylum seekers to East Africa. The UK initiated the deal to address its immigration crisis, a concern that primarily affects the UK, not Rwanda.

This marks the first time Rwandan authorities have officially addressed the cancellation of the programme by Britain’s new Labour government. The plan has faced criticism from human rights groups and others for being harsh and inhumane.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned the Rwanda deportation plan as a “gimmick,” particularly as record numbers of people have arrived in the first half of the year.

The deportation strategy from Rwanda was introduced as a measure to dissuade migrants from risking their lives on journeys that could result in deportation to East Africa.