International
‘Rwanda will always welcome those in need of refuge’
The
agreement between Rwanda and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland (UK) is a tale of two approaches. Broadly criticised in the UK as
inhumane, it was initiated in Rwanda as a humanitarian response to the global
migration crisis.
The
Rwanda-UK Migration and Economic Development Partnership will see migrants, who
entered, or sought to enter the UK illegally, transferred to Rwanda. Once in
Rwanda, the arrivals will go through the process of either seeking asylum, or
immigration.
Those
who do not wish to stay in Rwanda, will be facilitated to either return to
their countries of origin, or choose a third country.
Those
who choose to remain in Rwanda, will be welcomed into the community, say the
government. Rwanda does not have a policy of detention for migrants or
refugees. New arrivals will be settled in the community, rather than in camps
as has been reported.
“From
day 1, migrants will be offered human capital investments,
aligned with their capabilities and goals. This includes…skills training,
language training, higher education, as well as healthcare and social
protection” says the government in a statement. The new arrivals will in effect
be invited to become part of the Rwandan community.
The
agreement, expected to run for five years initially, is complex and will be
costly. It will increase demand on Rwanda’s social infrastructure, and
fledgling welfare system. To meet these costs, the UK has agreed fund it to the
tune of £120m ($156m).
The
funding will be part of Rwanda’s Economic Transformation and Integration Fund,
and will benefit both Rwandans and migrants alike.
While
the exercise is universally seen almost entirely from the UK perspective, the
initiative was in fact an equal partnership between the UK and Rwanda
government. Many of its components, primarily the incorporation of the migrants
into the community, were initiated by Rwanda.
Underpinning
Rwanda’s approach to the agreement is a policy of never
turning away anyone seeking refuge. As a people who at one time were the
largest contributors of refugees to the world, it is a virtual article of faith
that Rwanda will always welcome those in need of refuge.
The
country also sees the agreement as not only fulfilling Rwanda’s international
obligations, but Africa’s responsibility to respond to the global crisis in
migration.
“Addressing
the migration challenge is a shared responsibility for Africa, Europe, and the
international community. Every young African or migrant from elsewhere, should
be able to lead a dignified, productive, and safe life on the African
continent”, say the government.
The
country is now host to around 130,000 refugees from not only from the Great
Lakes region, but also from Afghanistan, Libya, and recently displaced
Ukrainians. Rwanda gives refugees the automatic right to work, set up
businesses, and access to every service available to ordinary Rwandans.
At
the press conference announcing the agreement, with Rwanda Foreign Minister,
Vincent Biruta, the British Home Secretary, Priti Patel, noted Rwanda’s policy
on refugees, as one of Britain’s reasons for entering into the agreement with
the country. She was also keen to emphasise that the initiative was a two-way
partnership agreement that should not be seen as the UK simply sending migrants
to Rwanda.
“Today,
our approach, as two outward looking countries, has
led to the signing of a new international partnership, which is a first…a
migration and economic development partnership, with the country of Rwanda and
UK…This is number one, very much a partnership, and clearly, we engage in
dialogue, and we have been for over nine months now. Rwanda has a unique
history, in terms of refugees and resettlement, resettlement in particular”,
says Patel.
“But
first and foremost, Rwanda is a safe and secure country, with a respect for the
rule of law, and clearly, a range of institutions that have evolved and
developed over time. And with that, the skilled way in which Rwanda has already
provided resettlement, for almost 130,000 refugees from multiple countries”.
The
agreement will cover only those migrants who Britain identifies as having
entered the country illegally, most of whom are already in detention. Should
they not wish to be relocated to Rwanda, they will have all the normal legal
avenues to appeal against the transfer. If the appeal fails however, their
options will be limited to either being returned to the first safe country in
which they landed, or migrating to Rwanda.
While the UK is facing near universal criticism for the agreement, in Rwanda, it is seen as the country’s “commitment to the full social and economic integration of asylum seekers and refugees, who are part of our vision for economic development” according to the ministry of foreign affairs.
Source:
www.theafricareport.com