Rwanda officials on Friday unveiled the first three of five facilities intended to house the first 50 migrants being sent to the East African nation from Britain at the of May.
Rwanda's Foreign Affairs Minister, Vincent Biruta, defended the controversial resettlement program saying it will award those moved with an opportunity to live a dignified life.
"These are stateless people who don't have any status in the UK, and we jus agreed to give a solution to illegal migration," Biruta said. He says Rwanda is giving these people what he termed "a dignified life" and that Kigali will also provide skills training to enable economic development among the recipients.
The UK migrants will be housed at the AERG/One Dollar campaign complex, Desire Hotel and Hallmark Residences, for up to five years. Rwanda says these people will be afforded options to stay in the east African nation, including applying for asylum and residency.
A general view of the Desire Resort Hotel to host British asylum seekers sent to Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda May 19, 2022.
Rwandan government spokesperson Alain Mukurarinda expanded the announcement by saying Kigali is accommodating a variety of recipients. “We are expecting all categories of people, including families, singles and the elderly,” he said, adding, “That is why we have prepared different facilities to host them accordingly.”
Rwanda’s government says its effort answers critics of the UK transfer deal, noting its success in housing Libyan migrants who now live there after escaping dire conditions and human trafficking.
Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel (L) and Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs Vincent Biruta (R) sign what the migration deal in Kigali, Rwanda Thursday, April 14, 2022.
Rwanda's confidence in the settlement deal are echoed by Britain’s Home Secretary, Priti Patel who described the program as one that will stop human rights violations by criminal gangs.
“We want to stop this viral inhumane trade where criminal gangs and smugglers are profiteering and doing all sorts of inhumane things to people that are coming over in lorries and also in boats,” said Patel.