An international court has ruled against Rwanda in its attempt to recover more than £100 million from the United Kingdom under the controversial migrant deportation agreement that was scrapped in 2024.
Judges at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled that Britain is not required to make two outstanding annual payments that Rwanda claimed were still owed under the agreement.
The ruling marks another chapter in the collapse of a migration policy that sparked years of legal, political, and human rights debates in both countries.
The agreement was signed in 2022 by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Under the plan, migrants arriving in Britain through irregular routes, including small boat crossings across the English Channel, could be transferred to Rwanda for asylum processing and possible resettlement.
The policy was promoted by the UK government as a deterrent against irregular migration and people-smuggling networks. However, it faced strong opposition from human rights groups, legal experts, and political opponents.
After a series of court challenges, the UK Supreme Court eventually ruled that the scheme was unlawful, creating significant obstacles to its implementation.
When Keir Starmer became prime minister in July 2024, he immediately announced that the Rwanda plan was “dead and buried,” arguing that it had failed to achieve its intended objectives.
The current British government later revealed that only four individuals had voluntarily travelled to Rwanda under the programme during the two years it existed.
According to UK government figures, approximately £290 million had already been paid to Rwanda as part of the agreement before it was cancelled.
Rwanda subsequently argued that Britain still owed two additional annual payments worth £50 million each, bringing the disputed amount to more than £100 million.
However, the arbitration panel rejected the claims. The court dismissed one £50 million claim by majority decision and unanimously rejected the second payment request.
The ruling means Britain will not be required to make any further payments linked to those disputed obligations under the cancelled migration agreement.
The decision comes at a time when relations between the UK and Rwanda have become increasingly strained. The two countries have recently disagreed over regional security issues involving the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Earlier this year, Britain reduced aid funding to Rwanda after accusing Kigali of supporting the M23 rebel group operating in eastern Congo. Rwanda has consistently denied allegations that it backs the rebels.
The court’s ruling effectively closes one of the major financial disputes arising from the failed migration partnership, which became one of the most controversial immigration policies in recent British political history.
While supporters argued that the Rwanda scheme could help reduce irregular migration, critics maintained that it was costly, legally problematic, and unlikely to provide a long-term solution to migration challenges.
The latest judgment means that Britain avoids paying an additional £100 million, while Rwanda loses its bid to recover further funds under a deal that never fully took effect.