UN refugee agency opposes British plan to export asylum seekers to Rwanda

GENEVA

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) expressed "strong opposition and concerns" on Thursday about the UK's plan to export its asylum obligations.

It urged the UK, which is a key financial contributor to the UNHCR, to refrain from transferring asylum seekers and refugees to Rwanda for asylum processing.

"UNHCR remains firmly opposed to arrangements that seek to transfer refugees and asylum seekers to third countries in the absence of sufficient safeguards and standards," said UNHCR's assistant head, Gillian Triggs. "Such arrangements simply shift asylum responsibilities, evade international obligations, and are contrary to the letter and spirit of the Refugee Convention."

Earlier Thursday, the British government announced a new and controversial relocation plan that would see asylum seekers attempting to enter the UK sent to Rwanda for resettlement.

Triggs said those fleeing war, conflict and persecution deserve compassion and empathy.

"They should not be traded like commodities and transferred abroad for processing," he said.

The refugee agency urged the UK and Rwanda to re-think the plans.

It also warned that instead of deterring refugees from resorting to perilous journeys, the externalization arrangements would only magnify risks, causing refugees to seek alternative routes and exacerbating pressures on frontline states.

UNHCR said Rwanda has "generously" provided a haven to refugees fleeing conflict and persecution for decades. Most live in camps with limited access to economic opportunities.

The UNHCR believes wealthier nations must show solidarity in supporting Rwanda and the refugees it already hosts and not the other way around.

"The UK has an obligation to ensure access to asylum for those seeking protection," it said.

Those determined to be refugees can be integrated, while those who are not and have no other legal basis to stay can be returned in safety and dignity to their country of origin, said the agency.

​​​​​​​- Abdicates responsibility

"Instead, the UK is adopting arrangements that abdicate responsibility to others and thus threaten the international refugee protection regime, which has stood the test of time and saved millions of lives over the decades," said UNHCR.

The agency said the UK has supported UNHCR's work many times and provides essential contributions that help protect refugees and support countries in conflicts such as Ukraine.

"However, financial support abroad for certain refugee crises cannot replace the responsibility of states and the obligation to receive asylum seekers and protect refugees on their own territory – irrespective of race, nationality, and mode of arrival," it said.

UNHCR said it recognizes the challenges posed by forced displacement but developed countries are host to only a fraction of the world's refugees and are well resourced to manage claims for asylum in a humane, fair and efficient manner.