UK Interior Minister to Visit Rwanda to Discuss Cooperation on Illegal Migration, Media Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Secretary of State for the Home Department Suella Braverman will travel to Rwanda on March 17 to discuss the controversial bilateral agreement on relocating illegal migrants to the African country, British media reported on Thursday.

Last week, Braverman presented a bill to parliament that seeks to relocate migrants who came to the UK illegally by boats across the English Channel to a "safe third country" like Rwanda. Asylum in the UK will only be granted in exceptional cases and within a yearly quota.

The junior minister is going to visit Rwanda in an attempt to discuss the implementation of the UK's controversial migration deal signed by her predecessor with the Rwandan authorities that allows deportation of people who came to the UK illegally to the central African country, said British media.

Braverman's plan has faced serious criticism from both the opposition and various human rights organizations. Some argue that forced relocation will not be effective in preventing the illegal migration to UK, while others say the bill violates human rights.

The first deportation of migrants to Rwanda was planned to take place on June 14, 2022. However, the flight was canceled at the last moment as the European Court of Human Rights granted a last-minute appeal to all the asylum seekers on board. The UK had reportedly paid Rwanda 120mln pounds ($145mln) for the failed relocation of illegal migrants to the country and was not happy with the European court's decision.