UK government efforts to stop the boats and tackle illegal migration took a major step forward, after the Safety of Rwanda Bill completed its passage through Parliament overnight, Monday 22 April.  

The Bill’s passing means the government can enter the final phase of operational planning to get flights off the ground to Rwanda, pioneering a new response to the global challenge of illegal migration.  

Robust operational plans are in place to ensure a first flight to Rwanda can be delivered within 10-12 weeks, with multiple flights set to take off after this.  

The landmark legislation means that going forward, Rwanda should be deemed a safe country for the purposes of relocating people, including in UK courts and tribunals.   

It will prevent legal challenges from being used to delay or halt a person’s removal to Rwanda on the grounds that Rwanda is generally unsafe, or that an individual will be returned to an unsafe country after removal to Rwanda – an act known as refoulement.    

The Bill makes it unambiguously clear that UK Parliament is sovereign, and the validity of any Act of Parliament is unaffected by international law. Ministers will be able to retain the decision on whether to comply with interim measures from the European Court of Human Rights, for example, a Rule 39 injunction.   

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:    

This vital legislation means we can now proceed with our Rwanda plan and begin removing people with no right to be here.   

The only way to stop the boats is to eliminate the incentive to come – by making clear that if you are here illegally, you will not be allowed to stay.   

Our policy does exactly that and plans are well under way to begin flights within 10-12 weeks.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

The passing of this landmark legislation it not just a step forward but a fundamental change in the global equation on migration.

We introduced the Rwanda Bill to deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them. The passing of this legislation will allow us to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.

Our focus is to now get flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives.

The government is ready to deliver a first relocation flight and teams are working at pace to prepare. This includes: 

an airfield on standby and commercial charter planes booked for specific slots
detention spaces increased to 2,200
200 trained dedicated caseworkers are ready and waiting to quickly process claims
the judiciary have made available 25 courtrooms to deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively
to escort illegal migrants all the way to Rwanda, we have 500 highly trained individuals ready, with 300 more trained in the coming weeks.

Responding to the concerns raised by the Supreme Court, the Safety of Rwanda Bill was introduced in December last year and builds upon the UK-Rwanda Treaty.  

Together, these measures and evidence of changes in Rwanda since summer 2022, will allow government to implement the policy, supporting the wider plan to stop the boats by removing the incentive to come here illegally.   

The new law, which is one of the toughest pieces of legislation ever introduced, builds upon the Treaty, reflecting the strength of the Government of Rwanda’s protections and commitments relocated to Rwanda in accordance with the Treaty. It also:   

confirms that, with the new Treaty, Rwanda is safe
prevents UK courts and tribunals from delaying or preventing a person’s removal to Rwanda on matters relating only to the general safety of Rwanda
allows for an exceptionally narrow route to individual challenge to ensure that the courts will interpret the relevant provisions in accordance with the will of Parliament
disapplies relevant sections of the Human Rights Act 1998
confirms that only a Minister of the Crown can decide whether to comply with an interim measure issued by the European Court of Human Rights.

In November 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the lawfulness of resettling illegal migrants for the purposes of determining their asylum claims, but required more assurance that they would not be refouled.   

The internationally binding Treaty between Rwanda and the UK was announced by the Government in response to this finding and introduces measures to make clear Rwanda will not return anyone to an unsafe country.   

Under the Treaty, Rwanda has also introduced a strengthened end-to-end asylum system, including a new, specialist asylum appeals tribunal to consider individual appeals against any refused claims. It will have two co-presidents, from Rwanda and from another Commonwealth country, and be made up of judges from a mix of nations. 

The Treaty also enhances the role of the independent Monitoring Committee, which will ensure adherence to obligations under the Treaty and have the power to set its own priority areas for monitoring.   

But this significant step forward remains just one part of the government’s wider plan to stop the boats. Solid progress has been made, with the number of small boat arrivals falling by more than a third in 2023. Our work with international partners prevented more than 26,000 crossings last year, as well as helping to dismantle 82 organised crime groups since July 2020.   

Our new agreement with Albania has cut Albanian small boat arrivals by more than 90 per cent; and we recently signed a ground-breaking deal with Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, marking another crucial step in securing our borders.   

The Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent in the coming days.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of UK.

The passing of this landmark legislation is not just a step forward but a fundamental change in the global equation on migration.

We introduced the Rwanda Bill to deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them. The passing of this legislation will allow us to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay. 

Our focus is to now get flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of UK.

Accessing clean water has traditionally been an arduous task in Mogovolas, a district in the northern region of Mozambique.

Villagers often resort to unsafe water sources to meet their basic needs, exposing themselves to a host of diseases.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) recently established eight wells in this district alongside community awareness initiatives to secure sustainable access to clean and safe water. These activities not only address the immediate health concerns associated with waterborne illness, but also lay the groundwork for long-term community response to mitigate infectious diseases. Unsafe water can contain parasitic worms that cause bilharzia, also known as schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that cause abdominal pain, enlarged liver, blood in the stool or urine, and can also cause an increased risk of  liver fibrosis or bladder cancer.

The interconnected nature of water, climate events, and health underscores the importance of comprehensive approaches to addressing these issues. By integrating water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions with broader climate adaptation strategies to mitigate neglected tropical diseases, this project is creating combined solutions that promote health resilience and resource sustainability for communities in Mogovolas.

Wells as a community lifeline

The wells support approximately 350 households and have been designed to ensure reliable year-round access to safe drinking water. 

The well systems are user-friendly, and are accessible to people of all ages and abilities. 

“We use water for everything—from cooking and drinking to bathing and other household needs. Having access to clean water has truly transformed our lives, bringing us a sense of security,” said Rabia Chico, a mother of two who lives in the Muepane community of Mogovolas. With the construction of these protected wells, the burden of water collection has been lifted, allowing community members to engage in income-generating activities such as farming, a common livelihood in Mogovolas.

MUEPANE COMMUNITY RESIDENT Rabia Chico

“I’m incredibly thankful for the gift of this well because we’ve never had access to anything like it before.

“Previously, we endured long and dangerous routes to collect water, which is more or less the same [as what] we did when we needed to reach a hospital. Now these essential resources are right on our doorstep. The illnesses that once infected us are gradually disappearing because we now have access to clean and safe water. This has made a difference, especially for our children, who used to suffer greatly from waterborne diseases. The days of hardship are finally behind us.”

Training local partners

MSF works in close partnership with community leaders as well as health authorities, and the local community water committee played a critical role in ensuring the sustainability of the protected wells. Comprised of dedicated local community members like Fatima Aluano, who have undergone specialized training on safe hygiene practices and well maintenance to address potential malfunctions, the committee serves as the custodian of the wells, overseeing their management and maintenance. 

“I’ve been fortunate to receive training that empowers me to collaborate effectively with my community to ensure the long-term accessibility to close water sources. Through this training, I’ve been able to mobilize my people to actively participate in initiatives aimed at maintaining the wells,” Fatima added.  

Fostering community ownership and collective responsibility

Residents of Mogovolas manage the regular cleaning of the wells, organize the line to fetch water, and conduct routine inspections to identify any potential problems.

The committee also liaises with MSF, identifying resources and support needed to maintain the functionality of the wells. By fostering a sense of ownership and collective responsibility, the committee safeguards these essential water sources to improve their longevity and continued benefits for everyone.

“Before the wells were built, our only option was to rely on river water to meet our basic needs. This often meant exposing ourselves to contaminated water sources, leading to numerous health concerns for our community. However, with the construction of protected wells, we now have access to clean and safe water right within our village. It [brings] peace of mind to feel secured,” Aluano said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

The Extraordinary Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea to France, Carmelo Nvono Nká, held a bilateral meeting with the Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Argentina, Raul Comelli. Among other matters, they discussed topics of economic, cultural and socio-political interest.

The meeting, which took place at the Embassy of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea in France, served as a basis for the two diplomats to review the bilateral and multilateral links of cooperation between the two countries.

As members of various international organisations, the representatives of Malabo and Buenos Aires in Paris highlighted the need to strengthen ties and promote regular cooperation in order to achieve the objectives set out in the common agenda of the United Nations and its agencies.

The relationship between Equatorial Guinea and Argentina is based on a shared history that dates back to the colonial era, when the two countries were part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. They maintain excellent relations of cooperation in the cultural, economic and geopolitical fields, and issues in these areas were extensively addressed by Ambassador Nvono Nká and Raúl Comelli.

The two diplomats expressed their desire to work together to strengthen ties of friendship and solidarity, as well as to strengthen cooperation in various areas of their agenda.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equatorial Guinea: Official Web Page of the Government.