Rwanda’s government has expressed its disappointment with the recent verdict by the UK’s Supreme Court, which declared the deportation plan for asylum seekers to Rwanda as unlawful.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court rejected the UK government’s Rwanda scheme, marking a major setback.
However, a spokesperson for the Rwandan government refuted the claim that the country is unsafe for refugees and argued that the processing of asylum claims is conducted appropriately.
Yolande Makolo, the spokesperson, stated that the judgment was based on “hypocritical” and “dishonest” assessments by the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR).
When asked about her opinion on the verdict, she said, “It’s ultimately a decision for the UK judicial system. It’s disappointing – we have a really good record of hosting and welcoming migrants and refugees in this country.”
Rwanda remains committed to the partnership and is ready to receive migrants, according to Makolo.
In its unanimous judgment, the Supreme Court stated that individuals sent to Rwanda would face a “real risk” of being returned to their home country, regardless of the validity of their asylum claims, which would violate international law.
Mark Austin from Sky News questioned Ms. Makolo about this, to which she responded that the court was referring to the risk of refoulment, the forcible return of refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they may face persecution, and that this was based on “hypocritical criticism from the UNHCR.”
She added that Rwanda has collaborated with the UNHCR for a long time and has never refouled anyone.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.