LONDON (Reuters) – The British government’s controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda could cost more than 600 million pounds (700.83 million euros) just to transfer 300 people, the government said on Friday. Parliamentary body for monitoring public policies.
The House of Commons adopted in January, after much debate, a bill – announced in April 2022 – paving the way for the expulsion to Rwanda of asylum seekers who entered British territory illegally, under a sealed treaty with Kigali.
But the revised text, which took into account the objections of the British Supreme Court on the illegal nature of the procedure in its first version, was rejected by the House of Lords.
The upper house of parliament expects Rishi Sunak’s government to demonstrate that Rwanda is a safe third country that will not send migrants back to their country of origin.
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Ultimately, the British government plans to send thousands of people to this East African country, despite reception capacity which remains uncertain.
In addition to the 220 million pounds sterling (256.97 million euros) that the United Kingdom has already paid to Rwanda for this purpose, the government has agreed to pay a further 150 million pounds (175.21 million euros) over the next three years, and 120 million pounds (140.17 million euros) once the first 300 asylum seekers targeted by this procedure have been redirected to the country, specifies the National Audit Office (NAO).
The British government will also have to pay Rwanda 150,874 pounds (176,228.98 euros) to cover the installation costs of each expelled asylum seeker, specifies the organization in what is to date the most detailed financial assessment of the “Rwanda plan”.
If we add other expenses such as those linked to air transfers, the amount of the plan would therefore exceed 600 million pounds sterling (700.83 million euros) in its preliminary phase.
In the UK, the cost of accommodating people awaiting an asylum decision is around £8 million per day (€9.34 million).
“The current situation is unsustainable and unfair,” Rishi Sunak told the media, adding that the Rwandan program should be considered a “useful investment”.
The conservative Prime Minister has put all his weight into this controversial project and expects a political gain in the run-up to the early general elections, for which Labor is given the lead.
Many asylum seekers who arrive in the UK say they are fleeing wars and mistreatment in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. Most obtain refugee status.
The British government, however, says that around 90% of asylum applicants are economic migrants.
Since the start of the year, 2,255 asylum seekers have managed to reach British shores aboard small boats.
(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Michael Holden with Alistair Smout; French version Mathias de Rozario; editing by Sophie Louet)
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