Rwanda markets itself as part of the solution to Europe’s migration crisis. Even though its deportation deal with the UK was scrapped, the reputation of the East African country is still intact and it looks set to walk away with some $307 million in the bank.
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00:00The controversial Rwanda-UK migration deal has dominated the news cycle for months.
00:05It was viewed as a bad precedent in dealing with asylum seekers to Europe.
00:10But President Paul Kagame's gamble seems to have paid off.
00:15But if they don't come, we won't complain.
00:21It's not like we are dying to have people come to us in this manner.
00:27It's just that we are trying to help out.
00:31Welcome to the flip side.
00:32Many let out a sigh of relief when their ill-fated migration plan was scrapped.
00:38Look, the Rwanda scheme was dead and buried before it started. It's never been a deterrent.
00:42Human rights groups had campaigned against the deal
00:46to send asylum seekers to the UK off to Rwanda for processing and resettlement.
00:51And the court found the deal unlawful.
00:55No one was ever deported to Rwanda.
00:57But the government made Hope Hostel in Kigali available for asylum seekers from the UK
01:02well in advance.
01:04It was a signal of the country's willingness to help Europe overcome its migration problem.
01:10And Europe took notice.
01:12German and Danish politicians were open to the idea of working with Rwanda in a similar manner too.
01:19Then there is the issue of money for asylum seekers.
01:24The UK had committed around $494 million over five years to its overall plan involving Rwanda.
01:32A portion of that sum was used for Hope Hostel and other facilities in the country.
01:38I don't think Rwanda has any obligation under the international law to reimburse the money.
01:44Because, I mean, they are not the one who would decide to unilaterally to cancel the treaty.
01:52And this is what the international law says.
01:56As the UK and the rest of Europe continues to contemplate
02:00how to curb the number of people entering without authorization, one thing is certain.
02:06Rwanda has cashed in already and appears eager to be part of the solution.
02:13And that's the flip side.