UK and Rwanda face off in court over scrapped migrant deal

The United Kingdom and Rwanda are set to clash at an international tribunal from Wednesday over a scrapped migrant deportation deal, with Kigali seeking more than $133 million it says London still owes.

The dispute will be heard at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, where a three-judge panel will examine arguments from both sides over the controversial agreement.

The deal, signed in 2022 under former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, aimed to relocate migrants arriving in Britain via irregular routes to Rwanda. However, it faced sustained legal challenges and was ultimately ruled unlawful by the UK courts.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer scrapped the policy shortly after taking office in 2024, calling it "dead and buried," while Home Secretary Yvette Cooper criticized it as a waste of public funds.

Despite the cancellation, Rwanda argues the UK remains contractually obliged to make outstanding payments, including two annual instalments of about $66.5 million each. The UK says roughly $385 million had already been paid before the deal was terminated.

The case comes amid broader tensions between the two countries after the UK reduced aid to Rwanda over allegations that Kigali supports the March 23 Movement (M23) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, a claim Rwanda repeatedly denies.

During the two years the scheme was in place, only four migrants were relocated to Rwanda, all on a voluntary basis, according to the UK government.