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Rwanda has launched international arbitration proceedings against the United Kingdom, accusing London of breaching financial obligations tied to the now-cancelled asylum partnership scrapped by Prime Minister Keir Starmer last year.
The Rwandan government confirmed on Tuesday that it had submitted a formal notice to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, arguing that Britain failed to honor agreed payments under the migration deal signed before Starmer took office.
The legal challenge escalates tensions between the two countries and could have financial and diplomatic consequences for the UK’s migration policy reset under the Labour government. It also marks a rare move by Rwanda to pursue formal arbitration against a major Western partner over a terminated treaty.
At the center of the dispute are two outstanding payments of £50 million each—funds Rwanda says were guaranteed under the agreement despite Britain’s decision to abandon the scheme.
In a statement posted on X, Rwanda’s government said Britain had requested in 2024 that Kigali forgo the two scheduled payments, which were due in April 2025 and April 2026, in anticipation of formally ending the treaty.
Rwanda said it was willing to consider the request, but only if the agreement was officially terminated and revised financial terms were negotiated.
“Discussions between Rwanda and the United Kingdom did not, however, ultimately take place,” the government said, adding that the funds “remain due and payable under the treaty.”
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Rwanda argues that without a formal termination or renegotiation, Britain remains legally bound by the original financial commitments.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who took office in 2024, cancelled the asylum arrangement shortly after assuming power, describing it as ineffective and a waste of public funds.
The British government said the policy had cost taxpayers heavily while producing minimal results. Under the scheme, only four migrants were voluntarily relocated to Rwanda, as the plan was repeatedly blocked by court challenges in the UK.
Following the cancellation, London stated that no further payments would be made under the deal.
The migration partnership was designed to deter illegal migration by allowing Britain to send asylum seekers who arrived unlawfully to Rwanda, where their claims would be processed. In return, the UK agreed to provide substantial financial support to Rwanda.
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The policy faced sustained criticism from human rights groups and legal scrutiny, including rulings that questioned whether Rwanda could be considered a safe destination for asylum seekers. According to reporting by Reuters and the BBC, those legal challenges ultimately stalled the program before it became operational.
The arbitration filing comes amid broader strains in UK-Rwanda relations. Last year, Britain paused some aid to Rwanda over concerns about Kigali’s alleged involvement in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to international reports.
Rwanda has faced mounting international pressure over accusations that it supports the M23 rebel group, which has been linked to renewed fighting that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Kigali has consistently denied backing the rebels, instead accusing Congolese and Burundian forces of fueling the violence.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration will now determine whether it has jurisdiction over the dispute and how the case will proceed. Arbitration cases of this kind can take months—or longer—to resolve.
