Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with (a) the International Organisation for Migration, (b) states neighbouring Rwanda and (c) the African Union in relation to the impacts of the Government’s plans to establish a migrant deportation policy with Rwanda; and what assessment she has made of the impact of the Government’s plans to establish a migrant deportation policy with Rwanda on perceptions of the UK across the continent of Africa.

Due to the need for discretion during sensitive policy, legal and financial negotiations, no discussions on the Migration and Economic Development Partnership were held with the International Organisation for Migration, States neighbouring Rwanda, or the African Union.

This new Migration and Economic Development Partnership is a world first and a major milestone in breaking the business model of people smuggling gangs. Rwanda and the United Kingdom are likeminded partners in their desire to tackle the global migration crisis and their track record in hosting refugees. There is a global responsibility to prioritise the safety and well-being of migrants, and Rwanda welcomes this partnership with the United Kingdom to host asylum seekers and migrants, and offer them legal pathways to residence. This is about ensuring that people are protected, respected, and empowered to further their own ambitions and settle permanently in Rwanda if they choose.