- Details
- East Africa
- 527
He messaged: “Let’s be clear, there is no plan of the German Government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
“The discussion is about processing asylum applications in third countries under international humanitarian law and with support of the United Nations.”
One of the clear differences with the Rwanda plan under Rishi Sunak’s government was that the latter involved sending migrants who crossed the Channel in “small boats” to the African country on a one-way ticket, with no prospect of return to Britain even if they were found to have a valid asylum claim.
Tory MPs have seized on reports coming out of Berlin which suggested that Germany could use asylum facilities in Rwanda originally intended for the UK’s aborted migration scheme.
The country’s migration commissioner, Joachim Stamp, has suggested the EU could utilise existing asylum accommodation in the east African country, originally destined for migrants deported from Britain under the now-scrapped scheme.
Downing Street said it would not comment on the discussions between two foreign governments.
But Tory MPs argued that the German discussions showed Labour was wrong to ditch the controversial plan.
The Rwanda scheme, launched by the Tories when in power, was intended to deter migrants planning to cross the English Channel in small boats from making the journey with the threat of deportation to Kigali.
Miguel Berger took to X, also known as Twitter, to reject suggestions that Berlin is considering the move.
He messaged: “Let’s be clear, there is no plan of the German Government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
“The discussion is about processing asylum applications in third countries under international humanitarian law and with support of the United Nations.”
One of the clear differences with the Rwanda plan under Rishi Sunak’s government was that the latter involved sending migrants who crossed the Channel in “small boats” to the African country on a one-way ticket, with no prospect of return to Britain even if they were found to have a valid asylum claim.
Tory MPs have seized on reports coming out of Berlin which suggested that Germany could use asylum facilities in Rwanda originally intended for the UK’s aborted migration scheme.
The country’s migration commissioner, Joachim Stamp, has suggested the EU could utilise existing asylum accommodation in the east African country, originally destined for migrants deported from Britain under the now-scrapped scheme.
Downing Street said it would not comment on the discussions between two foreign governments.
But Tory MPs argued that the German discussions showed Labour was wrong to ditch the controversial plan.
The Rwanda scheme, launched by the Tories when in power, was intended to deter migrants planning to cross the English Channel in small boats from making the journey with the threat of deportation to Kigali. By Nicholas Cecil, Evening Standard
