The Rwandan government said, on Monday, July 8, it is still committed to finding a solution to the global migration crisis and the safety of migrants after Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated he would scrap a deal his predecessor had with Kigali to transfer asylum seekers. “Rwanda takes note of the intention of the UK Government to terminate the Migration and Economic Development Partnership Agreement, as provided for under the terms of the Treaty passed by both our Parliaments,” reads a statement from the Office of the Government Spokesperson. ALSO READ: House of Lords passes UK-Rwanda migration agreement The Rwandan government said it had “fully upheld its side of the agreement,” which was signed during the tenure of Starmer’s predecessor Rishi Sunak. Under the migration treaty, signed in Kigali in December 2023, asylum seekers arriving in the UK illegally would be transferred to Rwanda where their claims would be considered. ALSO READ: Who is Keir Starmer, UK’s new prime minister? After taking over as PM, Starmer indicated that his government would not continue the UK-Rwanda migration partnership, according to British media. “This partnership was initiated by the Government of the UK in order to address the crisis of irregular migration affecting the UK — a problem of the UK, not Rwanda,” the statement said. “Rwanda has fully upheld its side of the agreement, including with regard to finances, and remains committed to finding solutions to the global migration crisis, including providing safety, dignity and opportunity to refugees and migrants who come to our country.” Sunak, who considered the partnership with Rwanda an integral part of his migration policy, stepped down as UK’s prime minister on July 5, after his Conservative Party lost elections, giving way for Starmer, the Labour Party leader.
