Rwanda is demanding £50 million ($63.5 million) from Britain in relation to a previously agreed upon migrant deportation plan that was scrapped last year, citing a breach of trust after the UK accused the nation of supporting rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bloomberg reports.
The controversial plan, conceived under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, aimed to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda at an estimated cost of £170,000 per person. However, current Prime Minister Keir Starmer abandoned the plan after taking office.
Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo stated on X that the UK had initially requested Rwanda “quietly forego the payment based on the trust and good faith existing between our two nations.”
However, she added:
“The UK has breached this trust through the unjustified punitive measures to coerce Rwanda into compromising our national security. We are therefore following up on these funds, to which the UK is legally bound.”
The demand comes after Britain suspended a significant portion of its financial aid to Rwanda last week, citing concerns over Rwanda’s alleged support for the M23 rebel group operating in eastern Congo. The M23 rebels have seized control of substantial areas of mineral-rich territory in the region.
President Paul Kagame’s government has vehemently denied the allegations of supporting the M23 rebels.
