By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Rwanda says it is not under obligation to refund to UK authorities, money spent in the failed asylum transfer, a deal that has been reversed by the newly elected Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.
Upon resumption of office last week after defeating his predecessor, Rishi Sunak in a landslide victory, Starmer said the deal is “dead and buried”.
The deal tagged “Stop The Boat” which was initiated by the former Conservative government in 2022, is said to have seen Rwanda receive the sum of £240m ($310m) from the UK government.
Following several legal battle by right activists, the first flight from UK did not take off to Rwanda under the transfer deal, but the UK expressed hope on Monday that some money from the deal could be recouped from Kigali.
In response to this assertion, spokesperson for Rwanda’s government told the country’s state television on Tuesday: “Let this be clear, paying back the money was never part of the agreement.”
Alain Mukuralinda said the agreement “did not stipulate” money should be refunded and that the UK had approached Rwanda and requested a partnership, which was “discussed extensively”.
In January, after 21 months of the scheme being stalled, Rwandan President Paul Kagame suggested some money could be returned if no asylum seekers were sent to the country.
But Rwanda’s government later specified there was “no obligation” to refund the UK.
Heritage Times HT had reported that Prime Minister Starmer labelled the scheme an expensive “gimmick” after his Labour Party ended 14 years of Conservative government.
Illegal migration is one of the major challenges facing the UK government.
So far this year, more than 13,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats.
