Edwin Ashimwe
Cleverly's visit to Kigali comes at a time when Rwanda and
the United Kingdom plan to sign a new migration treaty, which would, among
others, re-emphasize provisions of the initial plan of transferring to Rwanda
migrants arriving illegally in the UK through the British Channel.
On November 15, UK's top court declared the initial
deportation scheme unlawful, citing that asylum seekers sent to Rwanda would
risk being sent back to their countries of origin, among other challenges.
However, Kigali dismissed such allegations pointing out that
the new binding treaty between the United Kingdom and Rwanda will respond to
concerns raised by the UK Supreme Court.
"What I can say about the treaty that we are working on
right now is that it will re-emphasize the guarantees that are in the
MoUs," government spokesperson, Yolande Makolo told British television Sky
News after the November 15, UK Supreme Court ruling.
She added; "The provisions are already there. So, the
re-emphasising of these guarantees in the treaty will address the concerns of
the court and will reassure anyone who has any worries about asylum seekers
being sent back to the countries that they came from. They've already been
addressed in the MoU. They will be reemphasised in the treaty."
The Rwanda-UK migration deal is at the center of the
latter's strategy to cut migration and is being watched closely by other
countries considering similar policies.
In Rwanda, Cleverly is expected to meet with Vincent Biruta,
Minister of Foreign Affairs to sign the agreement.
"Rwanda cares deeply about the rights of refugees, and
I look forward to meeting with counterparts to sign this agreement and further
discuss how we work together to tackle the global challenge of illegal
migration," Cleverly said before departing to Kigali.
Under the plan, Britain intends to send thousands of asylum
seekers who arrived on its shores without permission to Rwanda in a bid to
deter migrants crossing the Channel from Europe in small boats.
In 2023 alone, almost 29,000 people arrived on the southern
English coast without permission, after a record 45,755 were detected in 2022.