By Cecilia Ologunagba
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has opposed a deal reportedly made by the United Kingdom to send some migrants for processing and relocation to the Central African nation of Rwanda.
UNHCR said in a statement on Thursday that the processing and relocation of the migrants were at odds with States’ responsibility to take care of those in need of protection.
In an initial response, UNHCR spelled out that it was not a party to negotiations that have taken place between London and Kigali, which it is understood were part of an economic development partnership.
According to news reports, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has said the scheme costing around US$160 million, would “save countless lives” from human trafficking, and the often treacherous water crossing between southern England and the French coast, known as the English Channel.
“UNHCR remains firmly opposed to arrangements that seek to transfer refugees and asylum seekers to third countries in the absence of sufficient safeguards and standards,’’ UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Gillian Triggs, said.
Triggs, however, described the arrangements as shifting asylum responsibilities and evading international obligations that are “contrary to the letter and spirit of the Refugee Convention.”
UNHCR urged both countries to re-think the scheme, warning that instead of deterring refugees from perilous journeys, the externalisation arrangements would only magnify risks, causing refugees to seek alternative routes, and exacerbate pressures on frontline States migrants are seeking to pass through.
While Rwanda has for decades generously provided a safe haven to refugees fleeing conflict and persecution, the majority live in camps with limited access to economic opportunities.
UNHCR underscored that wealthier nations must show solidarity in supporting Rwanda and the refugees it already hosts, and not the other way round.
“People fleeing war, conflict and persecution deserve compassion and empathy. They should not be traded like commodities and transferred abroad for processing,” Triggs said.
UNHCR stated that the UK has an obligation to ensure access for asylum seekers – integrating those deemed to be refugees and safely returning to their country of origin, people with no legal basis to stay.
However, Britain is instead adopting arrangements that abdicate responsibility to others, thus threatening the international refugee protection regime that has stood the test of time and saved millions of lives over the decades.
The UN agency further noted that the UK has often supported UNHCR, providing important contributions that help protect refugees and support countries in conflicts, including Ukraine.
However, it stated that financial support abroad for certain refugee crises cannot replace the responsibility of States and the obligation to receive asylum seekers and protect refugees on their own territory – irrespective of race, nationality and mode of arrival.
It also noted that while UNHCR recognises the challenges posed by forced displacement, it maintained that developed countries host only a fraction of the world’s refugees and have the capacity to manage asylum claims in a humane, fair and efficient manner. (NAN)
