Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government through which assessment mechanism or framework they have deemed Rwanda a safe country.

We had previously undertaken an analysis of the country situation, drawing on a wide range of publicly available evidence from a variety of reliable sources about Rwanda’s asylum system and human rights situation. Evidence was also obtained from the FCDO and from visits undertaken by the team responsible for Country Policy and Information Notes (CPIN). Information gathering was done in accordance with internationally established country-of-origin information research methods.

This was supplemented with updated evidence since summer 2022, including in respect of the strengthening of Rwanda’s systems and the new treaty signed on 5 December. The treaty between the UK and Rwanda, alongside the evidence of changes in Rwanda, will enable Parliament to conclude that Rwanda is safe. The new Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will provide Parliament with the opportunity to do so. Further information can be found in our published policy statement: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill: policy statement.