The Rwanda Scheme - Permanent Court of Arbitration rejects financial claims against UK

Readers will doubtless remember the "Rwanda Scheme" put in place by the Conservative Party when it was in power prior to the general election of 4 July 2024.

A Treaty was concluded between the UK and Rwanda which may be seen at Agreement between UK and Rwanda for the provision of an asylum partnership to strengthen international commitments on the protection of refugees and migrants (publishing.service.gov.uk). 

The Agreement contained provision (Article 22) to refer disputes to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, a body created in 1899 and which sits at The Hague. . 

Following a judgment of the Supreme Court of the UK in November 2023, the government "doubled down" on the Rwanda scheme and secured legislation stating - 'Every decision-maker must conclusively treat the Republic of Rwanda as a safe country' - Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024. This Act was severely criticised including by The Law Society - HERE.

The Labour government, elected 4 July 2024, did not continue with the Rwanda Scheme and obtained new legislation repealing the Safety of Rwanda Act - see Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025.

The government of Rwanda argued that it had incurred significant costs for the partnership. The dispute reached the Permanent Court of Arbitration which rejected Rwanda's financial claims against the UK. The arbitration award may be seen HERE. There was one dissenting opinion.

Crossings continue:

Government data for the period 25 May 2026 to 31 May 2026 showed that 654 individuals crossed the Channel in a total of 10 "small" boats - (HERE).

Links:

UK wins court case over collapsed Rwanda asylum deal - BBC News 1 June 2026

Seven things you should know about the Safety of Rwanda Act | The Law Society

The Rwanda scheme is dead. Long live hostility! | Oxford Law Blogs - an article noting that the new Labour government did not scrap the Rwanda scheme because it was inhumane and illegal , but because it had failed to stop ‘small boats’ reaching the UK. In response to this ‘failure’, the present government has elected to securitise asylum.