UK Court Rules Against Government’s Rwandan Asylum Plan

Three senior judges in the British Court of Appeal have ruled against the United Kingdom (UK) government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, as it is not considered a safe third country today, Thursday 29 June.

The ruling took place in London where Lord Burnett, the Lord Chief Justice, stated: “The result is that the high court’s decision that Rwanda was a safe third country is reversed and that unless and until the deficiencies in its asylum processes are corrected, removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda will be unlawful.”

In April 2022, the British authorities announced a plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, in an effort to deter people crossing over into the country illegally. The decision was met with outcry and protests as people raised concerns for their long-term safety and security.

Estimates stated that relocating an individual to Rwanda from the UK would cost a gross £169,000 – £63,000 more than it would have cost the UK to keep them within the country.

The Rwandan government – who had strongly supported the proposed plan – have issued a statement rejecting the court’s ruling. Yolande Makolo, a spokesperson for the Rwandan government, told an international publication that it is “one of the safest countries in the world”.

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