UK announces controversial plan to fly migrants and asylum-seekers to Rwanda

Rémy Rugira

Britain will send migrants and asylum-seekers who cross the Channel thousands of miles away to Rwanda under a controversial deal announced Thursday as the government tries to clamp down on record numbers of people making the perilous journey. 

“From today… anyone entering the UK illegally as well as those who have arrived illegally since January 1 may now be relocated to Rwanda,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a speech near Dover in southeastern England.

“Rwanda will have the capacity to resettle tens of thousands of people in the years ahead,” Johnson said.

He called the East African nation with a sketchy human rights record “one of the safest countries in the world, globally recognised for its record of welcoming and integrating migrants.” 

Johnson was elected partly on promises to curb illegal immigration but has instead seen record numbers making the risky Channel crossing.

He also announced that Britain’s border agency would hand responsibility for patrolling the Channel for migrant boats to the navy.

The Royal Navy will take over operational command from Border Force in the Channel with the aim that no boat makes it to the UK undetected,” Johnson said, announcing extra funds for boats, aircraft and surveillance equipment to help detain people-smugglers at sea.

This will send a clear message to those piloting the boats. If you risk other people’s lives in the Channel, you risk spending your own life in prison,” he said.

More than 28,000 people arrived in Britain having crossed the Channel from France in small boats in 2021.

Around 90 percent of those were male and three-quarters were men aged between 18 and 39.

The Rwanda plan swiftly drew the ire of opposition politicians who accused Johnson of trying to distract from his being fined for breaking coronavirus lockdown rules, while rights groups slammed the project as “inhumane”.

Ghana and Rwanda had previously been mentioned as possible locations for the UK to outsource the processing of migrants, but Ghana in January denied involvement.

Instead, Kigali on Thursday announcing that it had signed a multi-million-dollar deal to do the job, during a visit by British Home Secretary Priti Patel.

“Rwanda welcomes this partnership with the United Kingdom to host asylum seekers and migrants, and offer them legal pathways to residence” in the East African nation, Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta said in a statement.

“This is about ensuring that people are protected, respected, and empowered to further their own ambitions and settle permanently in Rwanda if they choose,” said Biruta.

The deal with Rwanda will be funded by the UK to the tune of up to 120 million pounds ($157 million, 144 million euros), with migrants “integrated into communities across the country,” it said.

Backlash

The UN refugee agency voiced its strong opposition to Britain’s deal with Rwanda.

“People fleeing war, conflict and persecution deserve compassion and empathy. They should not be traded like commodities and transferred abroad for processing,” Gillian Triggs, the UNHCR assistant high commissioner for protection, said in a statement.

Refugee Action’s Tim Naor Hilton accused the government of “offshoring its responsibilities onto Europe’s former colonies instead of doing our fair share to help some of the most vulnerable people on the planet”.

“This grubby cash-for-people plan would be a cowardly, barbaric and inhumane way to treat people fleeing persecution and war,” he said.

Detention Action said that those sent there would “likely face indefinite detention under a government notorious for violent persecution of dissent.”

“At the same time, the UK currently gives asylum to Rwandan refugees fleeing political persecution,” the advocacy group said in a statement.

Scotland’s Health Minister Humza Yousaf said the plan showed that the Conservative government was “institutionally racist”.

The government “rightly provides asylum and refuge to Ukrainians fleeing war, but wants to send others seeking asylum thousands of miles away to Rwanda for ‘processing’,” Yousaf tweeted.

Australia has a policy of sending asylum seekers arriving by boat to detention camps on the Pacific island nation of Nauru, with Canberra vowing no asylum seeker arriving by boat would ever be allowed to permanently settle in Australia.

Since 2015 the UK has “offered a place to over 185,000 men, women and children seeking refuge (…) more than any other similar resettlement schemes in Europe,” Johnson said.

According to the UN refugee agency, Germany received the highest number of asylum applicants (127,730) in Europe in 2021, followed by France (96,510), while the UK received the fourth largest number of applicants (44,190).

(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP)

77 thoughts on “UK announces controversial plan to fly migrants and asylum-seekers to Rwanda

  1. Hello, Neat post. There’s an issue together with your site in web
    explorer, could check this? IE still is the marketplace
    chief and a good portion of other folks will miss your magnificent
    writing because of this problem.

  2. Inforjation provided by SBTech unlocks a rrobust set of betting
    action from props, futures, and totals, amongst others.

    Here is my web site :: 안전놀이터 (Wally)

  3. Wow, fantastic weblog layout! How lengthy have you ever been running a blog for? you made blogging look easy. The total look of your web site is wonderful, as neatly as the content!

  4. Definitely believe that which you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the web the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while people think about worries that they just don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thanks

  5. Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!

  6. Virtually all of whatever you state is astonishingly appropriate and that makes me ponder why I had not looked at this with this light before. This article really did turn the light on for me as far as this particular topic goes. However there is actually 1 issue I am not really too comfortable with and whilst I try to reconcile that with the main theme of your position, let me see exactly what the rest of the subscribers have to say.Well done.

  7. My brother suggested I may like this web site. He was entirely right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t consider simply how so much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!

  8. I discovered your blog site on google and check a few of your early posts. Continue to keep up the very good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading more from you later on!…

  9. You could definitely see your skills in the work you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.

  10. Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your blog? My blog is in the exact same niche as yours and my users would definitely benefit from a lot of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this ok with you. Many thanks!

  11. I’ve learn some just right stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how a lot effort you place to create this type of magnificent informative website.

  12. It?¦s really a cool and useful piece of info. I am satisfied that you simply shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.

  13. Hi my friend! I want to say that this article is amazing, great written and come with approximately all important infos. I?¦d like to see extra posts like this .

  14. Hello, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam feedback? If so how do you reduce it, any plugin or anything you can advise? I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any support is very much appreciated.

  15. I’m now not certain where you’re getting your information, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for magnificent information I was on the lookout for this info for my mission.

  16. I’ve been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or blog posts in this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I finally stumbled upon this site. Reading this info So i’m happy to exhibit that I’ve a very good uncanny feeling I came upon just what I needed. I most certainly will make certain to do not overlook this site and provides it a glance on a constant basis.

  17. Hello, Neat post. There’s a problem along with your web site in internet explorer, may test this… IE still is the marketplace chief and a huge component of other folks will omit your great writing due to this problem.

  18. Hi there would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re utilizing? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most. Can you suggest a good web hosting provider at a honest price? Many thanks, I appreciate it!

  19. It is the best time to make some plans for the long run and it’s time to be happy. I have read this put up and if I may just I want to suggest you some fascinating issues or tips. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I desire to read even more issues about it!

  20. Magnificent site. A lot of helpful information here. I?¦m sending it to some friends ans additionally sharing in delicious. And obviously, thank you to your sweat!

  21. The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as a lot as this one. I imply, I know it was my choice to learn, but I really thought youd have something attention-grabbing to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you may repair in case you werent too busy searching for attention.

  22. Good – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs as well as related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task.

  23. I’m really loving the theme/design of your blog. Do you ever run into any web browser compatibility issues? A few of my blog audience have complained about my blog not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Chrome. Do you have any recommendations to help fix this problem?

  24. Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  25. Excellent post. I used to be checking constantly this weblog and I’m inspired! Very useful information specially the remaining section 🙂 I handle such information much. I was looking for this certain info for a long time. Thanks and best of luck.

  26. ProNerve 6 nerve relief formula stands out due to its advanced formula combining natural ingredients that have been specifically put together for the exceptional health advantages it offers.

  27. Hmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any suggestions for first-time blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate it.

  28. Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your website? My website is in the exact same niche as yours and my visitors would definitely benefit from some of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this ok with you. Thanks a lot!

  29. This is the right blog for anyone who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *