KIGALI, Rwanda — Rwanda has formally initiated arbitration proceedings against the United Kingdom over the cancellation of their Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP), escalating a dispute that followed London’s abrupt withdrawal from the controversial asylum relocation arrangement.
In a statement issued on January 27, the Rwandan government said it submitted a Notice of Arbitration on November 24, 2025, to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, invoking Article 22 of the partnership treaty.
The arbitration targets the UK’s decision to abandon the MEDP shortly after a change in government in July 2024, when Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared the deal “dead and buried,” without prior notice to Kigali.
Rwanda said the move violated both the spirit and the legal terms of the agreement, which had entered into force on April 25, 2024, following ratification by both countries.
“The partnership between Rwanda and the United Kingdom reflects Rwanda’s commitment to protecting vulnerable people and builds on Rwanda’s track record of welcoming and hosting refugees and migrants from around the world,” the statement said.
Under the MEDP, Rwanda agreed to receive asylum seekers removed from the UK, while London committed to significant financial support and to resettling a portion of vulnerable refugees hosted in Rwanda.
According to Kigali, the UK later informed it that no future removals would take place and that formal termination of the treaty would be considered “in due course.”
In November 2024, the UK requested that Rwanda forgo two scheduled payments of £50 million each, due in April 2025 and April 2026, citing the anticipated termination of the agreement. Rwanda said it was willing to accept the arrangement only if new financial terms were negotiated, but those discussions never materialised.
“The amounts remain due and payable under the treaty,” Rwanda said.
Kigali further accused the UK of refusing to honour its commitment to resettle vulnerable refugees from Rwanda, despite repeated efforts to resolve the impasse diplomatically.
Rwanda’s arbitration raises three key claims:
First, that the UK breached an exchange of diplomatic notes governing the treaty’s financial arrangements;
Second, that it violated Article 18 of the treaty relating to payment obligations;
And third, that it breached Article 19 by failing to arrange the resettlement of vulnerable refugees.
Shortly after filing its response to the arbitration notice, the UK formally notified Rwanda of the treaty’s termination. Under the MEDP’s terms, the termination will take effect on March 16, 2026.
“Rwanda sincerely regrets that the UK has decided to bring the partnership to an end,” the government said, adding that arbitration was a last resort after diplomatic efforts failed.
Despite the dispute, Kigali said it remains committed to addressing global migration challenges and providing “safety, dignity, and opportunity” to refugees and migrants.
