The UK High Commissioner to Rwanda, Omar Daair, has responded to the criticisms surrounding the Migration and Economic Development Partnership between Rwanda and United Kingdom.

"Some of the criticisms have treated this as something the UK has done to Rwanda as if the government of Rwanda is not a fully-fledged partner in this discussion. This is a partnership between two equals…and the solution is something we have come up with jointly,” he emphasised.

He was speaking during a media briefing held on April 25.

Daair said that it’s not surprising that there are people who have concerns about the partnership as it has not been done before, however, "our governments are confident that we have developed a legal partnership that respects all our obligations and ensures we treat vulnerable people correctly and are given access to all their rights.”

The Migration and Economic Development Partnership concerns all the migrants and asylum seekers who arrived in the UK illegally from January 1, 2022, mostly from African countries, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, among others.

Those who will benefit from the programme will have the option of applying for asylum locally and be facilitated to resettle in Rwanda or be facilitated to return to their home country, having received support through the programme.

For nine months, the British and Rwandan governments were in discussions to find a new and innovative solution to protecting people and offering them hope and opportunity to rebuild their lives and break the business models of people smugglers, said Daair.

"All this (the partnership) came about because the asylum system is currently broken, too many people are losing their lives in the channel between the UK and France,” he said.

Rwanda fit for helping migrants, human capital balance

Given the history, many individuals in the government of Rwanda had personally experienced what it means to be a refugee and they have been very focused on thinking about how to help people in that situation, he said.

Daair reiterated President Paul Kagame’s response that this is not human trading, but rather a humanitarian action to address the global migration crisis.

While there is no specific deadline for the first group of migrants to be in Kigali, he said that the five-year agreement will see Rwanda host thousands of unauthorised migrants and asylum seekers.

For this partnership to work, he noted, there have to be benefits for Rwandans to help integrate the asylum seekers who may relocate and build their lives here, but also to help build the human capital, the skills, and job opportunities in Rwanda.

"There is a very significant investment into human capital here in Rwanda to create jobs and opportunities. Over the course of this agreement, we will see that the funding is put to good use to help both the integration of asylum seekers and Rwandan host communities.”

The UK will fund the programme, initially releasing an upfront investment of £120 million, which will finance invaluable opportunities for the migrants and Rwandans as well. This will include "secondary qualifications, vocational and skills training, language lessons, and higher education.”

The UK will also support in terms of accommodation prior to local integration and resettlement.

Daair also cited that there will be continued discussions and monitoring mechanisms to view whether both sides are fulfilling their obligations and regular discussions to cater for necessary adjustments.

CHOGM preparedness

Only two months away from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the UK envoy said that Rwanda is fast on track in preparations across different sectors in line with offering a seamless experience to the delegates.

"Am very much confident that the delegates of CHOGM are going to enjoy themselves in Rwanda and see a beautiful country with wonderful nature and very hospitable people, and a great cultural scene,” he said.

The high-level meeting is scheduled to take place in Kigali from June 20 to 25.

On bringing to book five Genocide suspects in the UK

Survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the Rwandan government have, on several accounts, called on the UK to either put on trial or extradite five suspects who have been living in this country for more than two decades.

The key suspects are; Vincent Bajinya, Celestin Ugirashebuja, Charles Munyaneza, Emmanuel and Celestin Mutabaruka.

Rwanda first notified the UK government of the presence of these suspects on its soil back in 2007 when they issued indictments.

To this, the UK envoy said that there is an ongoing independent police investigation and the UK government is not ‘allowed’ to intervene in that process.

"And to do so or to be seen to intervene in that process would actually jeopardize the trial. It’s not something that the UK government can speed up or slow, it will continue to be independent,” he added.