An international court has ruled that the United Kingdom does not have to pay Rwanda more than 100 million pounds in compensation over a cancelled migrant deportation deal, dealing a major blow to Kigali’s claims, according to Al Jazeera News.
The decision was issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which rejected all financial demands made by Rwanda. Kigali had argued that Britain was still legally bound to make payments under the controversial agreement, even after it was scrapped in 2024.
The deal, first introduced in 2022 under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, aimed to deter migrants from crossing into the UK by sending them to Rwanda for asylum processing. However, the plan faced strong criticism and legal challenges, and was ultimately ruled unlawful by the UK Supreme Court before it could be fully implemented.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer cancelled the agreement shortly after taking office in July 2024, calling it “dead and buried.” Officials also described the policy as a costly failure, noting that around 290 million pounds had already been paid to Rwanda, while only four migrants were relocated under the scheme, all on a voluntary basis.
In its ruling, the three-judge panel found that diplomatic exchanges between the UK and Rwanda after the deal’s cancellation showed both sides had agreed that no further payments would be made. This included two planned payments of 50 million pounds each that Rwanda claimed were still owed.
The tribunal also dismissed additional claims by Rwanda, which alleged breaches of the partnership agreement.
The ruling may have wider implications as European countries explore similar plans to send migrants to third countries. Analysts say the outcome could make governments more cautious about pursuing such agreements in the future.
