Rwanda Refuses to Guarantee Number of Migrants It Will Accept from UK

Rwanda Refuses to Guarantee Number of Migrants It Will Accept from UK

Rwanda has declined to guarantee how many migrants it will accept from the UK under the controversial asylum seeker deal between the two countries. The deal, which was signed last year, aims to send migrants who arrive in the UK without permission to Rwanda instead of allowing them to claim asylum in the UK.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program, Rwanda's government spokesperson Yolande Maloko said that she could not provide a specific number of how many migrants Rwanda would accept in the first year or second year of the deal. When pressed to give a commitment on the number of migrants that could be given homes in Rwanda, Maloko said "we are ready" but would not provide a specific number, only stating that it would be "thousands."

The UK government has said that it aims to send around 52,000 migrants to Rwanda, but Maloko's comments cast doubt on whether Rwanda is willing to accept that many. The deal has been criticized by human rights groups and has faced legal challenges in the UK.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said that the UK government has a "plan to start flights going in 10 to 12 weeks" and that the government is working closely with Rwanda to ensure that the deal is implemented. However, Labour's Pat McFadden said that he thinks the government will succeed in getting flights running to Rwanda but believes it won't fix the migration problem or be value for money.

The deal has been controversial, with critics arguing that it is inhumane and violates international law. The UK government has said that the deal is necessary to deter migrants from crossing the English Channel and to break the business model of people traffickers.

Maloko also denied Rwandan involvement in the bombing of a displacement camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which killed at least nine people, including seven children. The US has blamed the Rwandan army and M23 rebel group for the attack.

The UK's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has been criticized by human rights groups and has faced legal challenges. The deal has also raised concerns about the safety and well-being of migrants who will be sent to Rwanda. Despite these concerns, the UK government has said that it is committed to implementing the deal and has already spent at least £300 million on the program.