UK wins court clash with Rwanda over failed migrant deportation deal

The UK will not have to pay Rwanda millions of pounds over the failed migrant deportation deal after winning an international court case.

The two countries clashed in a three-day hearing in March at The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Netherlands.

The east African nation sued Britain for more than £100 million, claiming it breached the terms of its agreement and is owed the money.

During the case lawyers representing Britain argued it was “entirely logical” the plan would be scrapped when Labour came into power after the 2024 general election and “simple common sense” that no further payments would be due.

According to legal papers, Rwanda asked the court to find the UK in breach of the agreement and demanded it pay all outstanding sums, as well as compensation.

But lawyers for the UK denied it had breached parts of the deal and said “Rwanda is not entitled to any of the forms of relief it seeks” when asking the court to dismiss the claims.

Earlier this year, Downing Street defended the decision to scrap the previous Tory administration’s plan when it emerged Rwanda was taking the UK to court.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declared the plan “dead and buried” as one of his first moves in office.

Before the election, the Conservative government had already spent £700 million on its flagship immigration policy under which migrants who arrived in the UK by boat from France would be sent to Kigali in a bid to deter Channel crossings.

But just four volunteers ultimately arrived in Rwanda before the plan was scrapped.

Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, Rwanda’s minister of justice and attorney general, previously told the court the country incurred “significant costs” preparing for the partnership but the UK “then sought to walk away from its legal obligations”.

He also said the UK “did not do Rwanda a courtesy of informing it in advance” that it was scrapping the deal, and leaders were “left to read about this development in the media”.

In a document setting out Rwanda’s claim, Mr Ugirashebuja asked the court to rule that the UK had breached the agreement and should pay about £100 million that it was due to receive in two instalments in 2024 and 2025, plus £6 million in compensation and interest.

Instead of compensation, he said Rwanda would accept a formal apology from the UK for failing to honour parts of the deal.