• Rwanda has filed arbitration against the UK over a scrapped asylum deal.
• The country seeks £100 million ($130 million) for unpaid financial commitments.
• The agreement was intended to deter illegal crossings of the English Channel.

Rwanda has launched legal proceedings against the United Kingdom for failing to fulfill the financial obligations of a controversial asylum partnership agreement that was scrapped in July 2024. This arbitration case has been filed at the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, where Rwanda seeks £50 million per installment, asserting the UK breached the treaty's financial provisions, according to Al Jazeera, AA, and Africa News.

The agreement, known formally as the Migration and Economic Development Partnership, was established in April 2022 under the UK’s Conservative government and aimed to send certain asylum seekers arriving in Britain to Rwanda for processing. However, only four individuals were relocated before the plan was effectively abandoned, with the UK government arguing that it did not act as a deterrent against illegal crossings, as stated in reports from Reuters and Africa News.

The recent submission from Rwanda claims the UK government has terminated the agreement without proper discussion, which constitutes a breach of the treaty. Michael Butera, a chief adviser in Rwanda's justice ministry, remarked that although discussions regarding the financial arrangements were expected, they ultimately did not occur, emphasizing Rwanda's frustration, according to Al Jazeera, AA, and Reuters.

This conflict arises within a backdrop of tension, partly due to the UK's suspension of foreign aid to Rwanda over its alleged involvement in regional conflicts, which has further complicated discussions regarding the asylum deal. The UK previously transferred £240 million to Rwanda before officially ending the scheme, as noted in various reports including Africa News and Africa News.