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.

BBC reports 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.

The agreement, signed under the previous Conservative administration, was designed to deter illegal migration across the English Channel by relocating asylum seekers who arrived unlawfully in the UK to Rwanda, where their claims would be processed.

During a three-day hearing in the Netherlands, lawyers representing the UK argued that it was reasonable and foreseeable for a new government to abandon the policy after a change in administration.

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.

Under the plan, asylum
seekers 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.

Subsequent court battles prevented the scheme from becoming fully operational before it was abandoned by the Labour Government.

Following the cancellation, the UK introduced a voluntary relocation programme under which unsuccessful asylum seekers were offered up to £3,000 to move to Rwanda. Only four individuals took part in the initiative.

Labour had pledged during the 2024 general election campaign to end the Rwanda policy, and upon entering office, Prime Minister Starmer declared the scheme “dead and buried”.

Responding to the tribunal’s decision, a UK Government spokesperson said Britain had robustly defended its position and remained focused on broader immigration reforms aimed at strengthening border controls and increasing removals of individuals with no legal right to remain in the country.

Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, welcomed the outcome but criticised Labour’s decision to terminate the Rwanda plan, arguing that the move had contributed to rising migrant crossings and asylum applications.

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