RWANDA blasted critics of its deal to take thousands of Channel migrants from Britain on Friday – and revealed the UK has stumped up £120million to fund the scheme before even one person has arrived in Africa.
A senior official lashed out at people opposed to the scheme, saying they were unfairly casting the continent as a ‘hellhole’ and a ‘terrible place to live.’
Yolande Makolo, a spokeswoman for the government of Paul Kigame, made the claim as she revealed that Rwanda currently only has capacity to take in 200 people, according to the British Daily Mail newspaper.
She confirmed it has received the entire initial payment for the agreement signed in April, based on it accepting thousands of people over five years.
The first deportation flight was grounded in June after a series of legal challenges and another attempt is yet to scheduled.
Last month the British government conceded that some cash had been paid but refused to say how much or when this had happened, saying the information was ‘confidential’.
But Makolo told reporters: ‘When you pull back and look at this with a wider lens, part of the reason people think they should be living in Europe or richer countries is they think the streets are paved with gold.
‘Part of the reason is this narrative that is cast by different media that Africa is a hellhole, it’s presented as a terrible place to live, which is untrue.’
Several asylum seekers, trade unions and charities Care4Calais, Detention Action and Asylum Aid are challenging the legality of the British policy, with the next court hearings due in September and October.
The ongoing court cases have raised the prospect that a flight may not be attempted again until the winter.
Some migrants issued with Rwanda removal directions have already been released from immigration detention because, as yet, another flight has not been lined up.
Earlier this week the British parliamentary Home Affairs Committee found there is ‘no evidence’ that the policy is acting as a deterrent.
Since the British Home Secretary (interior minister) Priti Patel signed the deal, more than 1,000 migrants have crossed the Channel.
When asked by reporters how much money had already been paid by the UK, Makolo said: ‘There was an initial transfer of £120 million. This has already been paid and we are already using the funds to prepare.’
Rwanda remains ‘committed’ to the partnership, she added.
