Court rejects Rwanda’s £100 million claim against UK

The United Kingdom will not be required to pay Rwanda millions of pounds in compensation following the cancellation of the controversial asylum partnership between the two countries, after an international tribunal ruled in Britain’s favour. BBCreports that Rwanda had sought more than £100 million from the UK, arguing that the British Government breached the terms of the migration agreement when Prime Minister Keir Starmer scrapped the scheme shortly after taking office in 2024. However, the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague brings an end to the dispute, with the tribunal rejecting Rwanda’s claim for additional payments.

They maintained that Britain had not breached the agreement and that Rwanda was not entitled to any of the compensation it was seeking. The Rwandan Government said it respected the tribunal’s decision and considered the matter closed. However, Kigali noted that one member of the tribunal had issued a separate opinion suggesting the legal issues involved were complex and could have been interpreted differently.

Rwanda’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, had argued that his country incurred significant costs in preparation for the partnership and accused the UK of failing to adequately communicate its intention to terminate the arrangement. He told the tribunal that Rwandan officials learned of the decision through media reports rather than through formal diplomatic channels. The Rwanda scheme was first announced in 2022 by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and later championed by his successor, Rishi Sunak, as a key measure to curb irregular migration.

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Under the plan, asylumseekers arriving in the UK from safe countries such as France could have been transferred to Rwanda, where they would undergo asylum processing. Successful applicants would have been permitted to remain in Rwanda rather than return to Britain. The policy faced sustained legal challenges from human rights groups and migrant advocates. The first deportation flight scheduled for June 2022 was halted at the last minute following intervention by the European Court of Human Rights.

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