UK to return asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing

The United Kingdom and Rwanda plan to seal a deal that will see asylum seekers who arrive in Britain flown back to Rwanda for proper documentation.

The controversial agreement between the British and Rwandese governments, which the UK’s opposition Labour Party calls “unworkable and unethical,” comes after similar agreements failed to be reached with Ghana and Albania.

Under the plan, migrants would now have their asylum claims processed in Rwanda and encouraged to settle there, British media reports.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the move is part of a broader strategy to undermine the business model of people smuggling gangs who help migrants and asylum seekers to informally cross the English Channel from mainland Europe.

His office labeled Rwanda “one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa, which is recognized globally for its record on welcoming and integrating migrants.”

Under the agreement, Rwanda would receive 158 million U.S. dollars from the British government under what London is calling a broader “migration and economic development partnership.”

CGTN/Olajumoke Adeleke