Johnson defends UK migrant deal on Rwanda visit

By Al Mayadeen Net
Source: Agencies
23 Jun 22:04

In a shocking statement, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson accuses opponents of the deportation policy of harboring "an outdated perception, perhaps a stereotype, of Rwanda."

Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson arrive in Kigali, Rwanda (Reuters)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended, on Thursday, his contentious deal to deport migrants to Rwanda, urging critics to "keep an open mind."

On the first day of a trip to Kigali, which is hosting a Commonwealth summit this week, he praised Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his tiny African country's achievements, despite widespread concerns about its human rights record.

It is worth noting that the London-Kigali scheme, which involves Britain deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda thousands of miles away, has sparked outrage.

However, Johnson told reporters, "The critics need to keep an open mind about the policy."

"What the critics of the policy need to understand, and I have seen loads and loads of criticism, is that Rwanda has undergone an absolute transformation in the last couple of decades," he added.

According to his office, Johnson spoke with Kagame about the agreement and other issues, most notably the war in Ukraine.

The migrant arrangement has been strongly condemned by rights groups, church leaders, and the United Nations, not to mention that it threatens to overshadow this week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

One of the most outspoken opponents is the British heir to the throne, Prince Charles, who has been quoted in the British media as calling it "appalling".

Elsewhere in his remarks, Johnson stated that he will discuss the merits of the agreement with Charles, who is also in Rwanda as Queen Elizabeth II's representative at the Commonwealth summit, on Friday.

He added it was vital to resolve the problem of "illegal cross-Channel trafficking of people whose lives are being put at risk by the gangs."

The first flight of a small group of asylum seekers was scheduled to leave the UK last week, but it was canceled due to a last-minute injunction issued by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

And Britain, which left the EU last year, announced on Wednesday that it will introduce legislation allowing it to disregard decisions made by the ECHR, which is not a member of the bloc.

Adding insult to injury

Johnson accused opponents of the deportation policy of harboring "an outdated perception, perhaps a stereotype, of Rwanda."

The 1994 genocide left an indelible mark on the country of nearly 13 million people, but it now claims to be one of the most politically stable and economically developed in the region.

However, in an open letter to Commonwealth leaders ahead of the summit, 23 rights and civil society organizations stated that Rwanda has a "climate of fear."

The two-day summit, which begins Friday, is expected to see a battle for the body's leadership, which represents 2.5 billion people, or a quarter of humanity, as well as renewed discussion about its future role and relevance.

Johnson said at a business forum that Britain hoped to forge trade deals throughout the Commonwealth, where total GDP is expected to rise by nearly 50% to $19.5 trillion over the next five years.

He also stated that on July 6, Britain will launch a new preferential trade system for 65 developing countries, including Rwanda and 17 other Commonwealth members, to eliminate "pointless tariffs".

Meanwhile, Johnson praised Rwanda's "moral stance" on the war in Ukraine, according to a statement issued by his Downing Street office following his meeting with Kagame.

The two men talked about how to deal with the fallout from the war in Ukraine most notably the sharp rise in food prices that has hit African countries hard.