International tribunal has rejected Rwanda’s claim that the United Kingdom owed more than £100 million ($135 million) in outstanding payments under a controversial migration agreement that was abandoned by the British government.
Gatekeepers News reports that Judges at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled on Monday that Britain was not liable for two years of additional payments sought by Kigali following the cancellation of the migrant deportation scheme in 2024.
The dispute stemmed from a 2022 agreement negotiated by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Rwandan government. Under the deal, migrants arriving in the UK through what were described as “dangerous or illegal journeys,” including crossings by small boats and lorries, could be relocated to Rwanda.
However, the policy faced sustained legal challenges and political opposition from its inception. The scheme ultimately suffered a major setback when the UK Supreme Court ruled it unlawful.
After taking office in July 2024, Prime Minister Keir Starmer moved quickly to end the initiative.
Describing the plan as “dead and buried,” Starmer dismissed it as a “gimmick” on his first full day in office.
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was equally critical, calling the programme “the most shocking waste of taxpayers’ money I have ever seen.”
Despite the substantial resources committed to the project, only four migrants were relocated to Rwanda during the two years before the scheme was scrapped, and all four travelled voluntarily, according to the UK government.
Official figures show that Britain had already paid approximately £290 million to Rwanda under the agreement. However, Kigali argued before the arbitration panel that two annual payments of £50 million each remained outstanding.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration, which was established in 1899 to resolve disputes between states and other parties, rejected Rwanda’s claim. The tribunal dismissed one £50 million demand by majority decision and unanimously rejected the second claim for the same amount.
The ruling marks the latest development in relations between the two countries, which have become increasingly strained in recent months.
Tensions escalated after Britain reduced aid to Rwanda, accusing Kigali of backing the M23 rebel group operating in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rwanda has consistently denied supporting the rebels.
The tribunal’s decision effectively closes a major financial dispute arising from the abandoned migration partnership, while broader diplomatic disagreements between London and Kigali continue.
