President Paul Kagame on Sunday, March 19, received United Kingdom’s Home Secretary Suella Braverman for discussions about the UK-Rwanda migration partnership, an agreement that seeks to provide a solution to the global migration crisis.
Under the agreement signed in April 2022, illegal migrant using small boats to enter the UK through several Channel will be relocated to Rwanda for processing or resettlement to those who wish stay.
Earlier on Sunday, Braverman launched a Rwf60 billion housing project that will see about 1,500 units built in Kigali for the UK asylum seekers.
She said the project will boost Rwanda’s existing capacity to accommodate refugees.
Braverman, who is in Rwanda for a two-day visit, said on Saturday that the deal “will lead the way in finding a solution which is both humanitarian and compassionate and also fair and balanced.”
Rwanda’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Vincent Biruta and Braverman on Saturday signed an addendum to the partnership, which will see its scope expanded.
On the same day, Braverman also visited Bwiza Riverside Homes, an estate that will also accommodate the migrants.
She also visited Kepler, a college whose 25 per cent of students are migrants.
In 2022, the UK received 45,000 migrants which reflected a 60 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
Officials say the migration crisis is exploited by human-trafficking networks, which put the asylum seekers’ lives at risk.
Under the UK-Rwanda deal, migrants will have an option of applying for asylum, locally, and be facilitated to resettle in Rwanda or to be facilitated to return to their home countries.
The UK government will fund the programme, initially releasing an upfront investment of £120 million, which will fund invaluable opportunities for the migrants and Rwandans as well.
