In a controversial move, the UK has reportedly deported the first asylum seeker to Rwanda, according to sources including The Sun and the Financial Times. This development follows the enactment of a disputed law last week by the UK government, which permits the relocation of migrants who arrive in the country through unauthorized means.
The individual, a man originally from an unnamed African country, voluntarily agreed to move to Rwanda after his asylum request was denied in the UK, as reported by British media and the French news agency AFP. He departed from the UK on a commercial flight directed towards Rwanda.
French newspaper Le Monde reported that in exchange for his voluntary relocation, the man would receive approximately $3,700 USD, which equals nearly four million Rwandan Francs. However, this compensation has not been confirmed by the British authorities.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had previously announced that the first flights transporting asylum seekers to Rwanda were scheduled to commence in July of this year. This policy has been met with considerable scrutiny and criticism, particularly regarding its implications for the rights of those seeking refuge and the responsibilities of receiving countries such as Rwanda.
