The United Kingdom will not have to pay Rwanda £100 million over a failed migrant deportation scheme, an international court has ruled. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague rejected Rwanda's claim that the UK breached their agreement by scrapping the policy.
The scheme, established under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2022, aimed to send asylum seekers arriving via small boats or lorries to Rwanda. It faced legal challenges and was ultimately ruled illegal by the UK Supreme Court. Upon taking office in July 2024, Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared the plan 'dead and buried'.
Rwanda had sought two annual payments of £50 million, plus compensation and interest, arguing it incurred significant costs preparing for the partnership. However, the tribunal dismissed the claims, with a majority rejecting the first year's payment and unanimously rejecting the second.
A UK government spokesperson welcomed the ruling, stating: 'The UK robustly defended its position, and the tribunal has now ruled in favour of the UK on all grounds.' Only four people were voluntarily relocated to Rwanda under the scheme, while the UK had already paid approximately £290 million to Rwanda.
The arbitration adds to tensions between the two nations, following the UK's decision to cut aid to Rwanda over allegations it supports M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
