The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), based in The Hague, has begun hearings in a dispute between Rwanda and the United Kingdom over an unimplemented asylum agreement.
The three-day hearing runs from March 18 to March 20. Here are some things you should know as the legal battle opens.
1. What is being contested?
The arbitration proceedings were initiated by Rwanda in January 2025, under the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP), a bilateral treaty signed in 2024.
Rwanda accuses the UK of failing to honour its commitments under the agreement. According to Rwanda’s Ministry of Justice, both countries agreed, through a binding exchange of diplomatic notes in June 2024, on financial arrangements to support refugee hosting and economic integration.
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Under the arrangement, two payments of £50 million each were due in April 2025 and April 2026. However, Rwanda says the payments have not been made.
Kigali also argues that when a new UK government took office last year, it announced the partnership would no longer continue. Rwanda maintains that this decision was made before formally invoking the treaty’s termination provisions.
2. What is the UK-Rwanda migration deal?
The agreement was designed to create a framework under which the UK would resettle some of the most vulnerable refugees hosted in Rwanda.
In 2022, Rwanda and the United Kingdom announced the partnership as part of efforts to address global migration challenges. The deal,initially set to run for five years, was signed in Kigali on April 14, 2022.
It was formalised by Rwanda’s then Foreign Affairs Minister Vincent Biruta and former UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Both governments described the MEDP as an innovative and bold initiative aimed at addressing the root causes of irregular migration.
How and where to follow the hearings
The proceedings are open to the public.
Members of the diplomatic corps, media, and the general public can attend the hearings in person at the Peace Palace, subject to prior registration. The sessions are also accessible online via the PCA’s official platforms.
On March 18, Rwanda is expected to present its opening submissions in the morning. The UK will present its submissions on March 19 at the same time.
On the final day, March 20, both parties will deliver their reply submissions.