UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
Rwanda has formally taken the United Kingdom to arbitration in the Netherlands over the cancellation of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP), affirming that the UK is legally obliged to pay £100 million in treaty commitments that accrued before the partnership was unilaterally ended.
The arbitration was triggered by the UK’s refusal to honour financial and humanitarian obligations embedded in the MEDP, which entered into force on 25 April 2024.
Rwanda submitted a Notice of Arbitration to the Permanent Court of Arbitration on 24 November 2025 under Article 22 of the treaty.
The MEDP was initiated at the UK’s request as a joint effort to reduce dangerous irregular migration and address structural economic imbalances that drive displacement.
Rwanda emphasises that the treaty reflected its commitment to protecting vulnerable people and drew on its extensive experience hosting refugees and migrants.
The government stresses that the agreement was legally binding. Political declarations by the UK government did not nullify obligations that had already accrued.
According to Rwanda, the MEDP remained in force until its formal termination, which will take effect on 16 March 2026.
Understanding the £100 Million Claim
The £100 million claimed by Rwanda comes from two instalments of £50 million each, scheduled under the treaty for April 2025 and April 2026.
While the official statement refers to these instalments individually, the total liability is £100 million (about Rwf 200 billion)
Rwanda explained that in November 2024, the UK requested that Rwanda forgo these payments in anticipation of terminating the treaty.
Rwanda responded that it would only consider this if formal termination occurred and new financial terms were negotiated, which ultimately did not happen.
Consequently, both £50 million instalments remain due and payable, according to Rwanda.
This distinction is central: the UK’s political declaration that the partnership was “dead and buried” does not retroactively cancel obligations that accrued while the treaty was in effect.
Beyond Financial Commitments
Rwanda’s arbitration also addresses the UK’s refusal to honour commitments to resettle a portion of the most vulnerable refugees hosted in Rwanda, a key provision of the MEDP.
This forms the basis of Rwanda’s third claim, under Article 19 of the treaty.
The government asserts that arbitration is necessary to enforce these obligations, framing the dispute as a test of the reliability and predictability of international agreements, especially when political transitions occur in partner countries.
Three Claims Before The Hague
Rwanda’s legal case focuses on three main claims:
- Breach of the exchange of notes outlining financial arrangements
- Breach of Article 18 on financial obligations
- Breach of Article 19 regarding resettlement of vulnerable refugees
Together, these claims demonstrate Rwanda’s position that the UK failed to honour both financial and humanitarian commitments, not merely a single payment.
The arbitration will determine whether the UK’s withdrawal from the MEDP carries a nine-figure financial liability.
For Rwanda, the dispute is about more than money: it is about ensuring that treaty obligations remain enforceable, even when one party undergoes political change.
