Britain’s interior minister says Rwanda is a safe country to resettle migrants who had arrived in Britain illegally

Britain’s Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has stated that she is confident Rwanda is a safe country to resettle migrants who arrived in Britain illegally, but she did not give a timeframe for the first deportations to the country. As part of a £120 million ($148 million) deal to deter asylum seekers crossing the English Channel from France in small boats, the British government aims to send thousands of migrants over 4,000 miles away to the East African country. The plan was unveiled in April 2022, but the first deportation flight was halted by an injunction from the European Court of Human Rights. In December, London’s High Court ruled that the scheme was legal, but opponents are seeking to appeal that decision.

Last month, Britain revealed details of a new law that would prevent asylum seekers who arrive in small boats across the Channel from claiming asylum and instead deport them to their home country or a so-called ‘safe third country.’ However, some charities argue that the proposed law is impractical and could criminalize the efforts of genuine refugees.

When questioned by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg about a violent protest in a Rwandan camp in 2018, which resulted in the deaths of at least five refugees, Braverman stated that she was not familiar with that case but was ‘on strong ground’ in claiming that Rwanda is a safe country and the right solution to Britain’s small boat issue. Braverman, who visited Rwanda last month, would not specify a deadline for the first flight to depart, but she stated that the government wants to move quickly to relocate people from the UK to Rwanda.

‘We’re looking at 2023 and beyond,’ Braverman stated on Sunday. ‘The High Court – senior expert judges – have examined the details of our arrangement with Rwanda and determined that it is a safe country, and that our arrangements are lawful.’