British parliament to vote on new UK-Rwanda migration plan

British lawmakers will on Tuesday, December 12, vote on the new migration treaty signed between the UK and Rwanda. Inked on December 5 in Kigali between the foreign ministers of the two countries, the new treaty aims at addressing concerns raised by the UK’s Supreme Court regarding the initial migration plan signed in 2022. ALSO READ: Five things to know about Rwanda-UK migration treaty In November, the European country’s Supreme Court ruled that the treaty was unlawful because there were “substantial grounds for believing that asylum seekers would face a real risk of ill-treatment by reason of refoulement to their country of origin” if they were transferred to Rwanda. Refoulement refers to the forcible return of refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they are liable to be subjected to persecution. ALSO READ: Rwanda, UK sign new migration deal In response, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agreed a new treaty with Rwanda entailing clauses that ensure that people relocated to Rwanda under the partnership are not at risk of being returned to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened. The treaty enhances the functions of an independent monitoring committee to ensure compliance with its obligations, such as reception conditions, processing of asylum claims, and treatment and support for individuals, including up to five years after they have received a final determination of their status. The British parliament will hold the first vote on the treaty on Tuesday evening. It would take up to 30 lawmakers from the Conservative Party (Sunak’s party) to side with opposition parties to defeat the bill.

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British parliament to vote on new UK-Rwanda migration plan