Rwanda is demanding £50 million ($63 million) from the United Kingdom following the cancellation of a controversial asylum agreement, a source close to the Rwandan government revealed on Tuesday. The dispute comes after the UK decided to pause some bilateral aid to Rwanda over its alleged involvement in the ongoing war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The asylum pact, introduced by the previous Conservative government, would have seen Rwanda receive payments in exchange for housing migrants who had arrived in Britain illegally. However, after taking office in July, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer officially scrapped the policy, branding it a waste of taxpayer money. According to UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the abandoned plan had already cost Britain an estimated £700 million ($885 million).
In response to the UK’s decision, Rwanda is insisting on an additional £50 million payment, arguing that the deal’s cancellation came after significant commitments were made on its part. However, a UK government spokespersonfirmly dismissed the claim, stating that the agreement made it clear that “no further payments will be made” and that Rwanda had waived any additional compensation.
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Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo took to social media on Monday, accusing the UK of attempting to exploit Rwanda’s goodwill.
“The UK had asked Rwanda to quietly forego the payment based on the trust and good faith existing between our two nations,” Makolo wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “However, the UK has breached this trust through unjustified punitive measures to coerce Rwanda into compromising our national security.”
The UK Foreign Office has not yet responded to Rwanda’s latest demand.
The asylum dispute is unfolding against a backdrop of growing tensions between the UK and Rwanda over the crisis in eastern DRC. The UK recently paused some of its bilateral aid to Rwanda and announced other diplomatic restrictions, citing Rwanda’s alleged support for the M23 rebel group.
Since January, M23 fighters have made significant territorial gains in eastern Congo, seizing key cities like Goma and Bukavu and taking control of areas rich in valuable minerals. Western governments, including the UK, accuse Rwanda of backing M23, an allegation Kigali strongly denies. Rwanda maintains that its forces are acting in self-defenseagainst hostile groups operating in Congo.
With diplomatic relations now strained and Rwanda standing firm on its demand for compensation, the fallout from the failed asylum deal has become another flashpoint in the already complex and fragile relationship between the two nations.
