Rwanda asks UK for £50 million over cancelled asylum deal, source says

Rwanda is reportedly seeking a £50 million payment—approximately $63.6 million—from Britain over a cancelled asylum deal, according to a source close to the Rwandan government.

The demand comes after the UK paused some bilateral aid to Rwanda amid concerns over the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Under the previous Conservative government’s plan, Rwanda was set to receive payments in exchange for taking in migrants who had illegally arrived in Britain. However, when Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office last July, he scrapped the policy. Incoming Interior Minister Yvette Cooper noted at the time that the scheme had already cost UK taxpayers around £700 million, leading to its cancellation.

A British government spokesperson later reiterated that, as detailed in official notes verbale between the two nations, no further payments related to the policy would be made and that Rwanda had waived any additional payments. Despite this, a source with close ties to Kigali indicated that the Rwandan government is now asking for £50 million over the cancelled agreement.

Rwanda’s government spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, took to social media on Monday, saying the demand was driven by Britain’s stance toward Kigali. “The UK had asked Rwanda to quietly forego the payment based on the trust and good faith existing between our two nations,” Makolo stated. “However, the UK has breached this trust through unjustified punitive measures to coerce Rwanda into compromising our national security.”

The move comes as Britain has also announced a pause in some bilateral aid to Rwanda and other diplomatic sanctions in response to Rwanda’s role in the conflict in neighboring Congo—a decision that Kigali has described as “punitive.” Rwanda faces mounting international pressure amid accusations that it supports the M23 rebel group, which has captured significant territories and resources in eastern Congo. While Kigali denies these allegations, it maintains that its troops are acting in self-defense against hostile groups based in Congo.

Under the scrapped asylum deal, Britain was originally scheduled to make payments of £50 million in April this year and again next year, according to the National Audit Office. The agreement also included a break clause that could be activated three months later, potentially limiting further payments to only relocation costs. So far, Britain has relocated only four people to Rwanda under the voluntary scheme.

As diplomatic tensions continue to simmer, the latest development adds a new dimension to the strained relations between the UK and Rwanda, highlighting the complexities of international aid, asylum policies, and regional security concerns.

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