Overview
- Rwanda filed a notice of arbitration in November at the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, which lists the inter-state case as pending.
- Downing Street says it will robustly defend the UK position to protect taxpayers, describing the abandoned scheme as ineffective and costly.
- Court filings name Justice Minister Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja for Rwanda, with Lord Verdirame KC instructed, and list UK representative Dan Hobbs with counsel Ben Juratowitch.
- Reports differ on how much the UK already paid to Kigali, with most citing £290m and others £240m, while a further £50m reportedly fell due in April 2025.
- Labour scrapped the plan in 2024 following legal defeats including a 2023 Supreme Court ruling, as Conservatives now attack the decision and highlight rising accommodation costs.