The Rwandan ambassador in London questioned, in remarks filmed without his knowledge, the migration policy of the British government, with which his country concluded an agreement to welcome migrants.
Johnston Busingye was asked in a documentary released online on Saturday evening by the activist group Led By Donkeys what he would say to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak or Home Secretary Suella Braverman about their migration policy: he replied that ‘she was absolutely bad.
They should have a long-term policy to ensure that people do not risk their lives by coming to the United Kingdom, he said, adding that he believes many people do not come to the United Kingdom because of war in their country but come because they are desperate, and have no future.
While the British government claims to have a “benevolent” policy towards migrants, the ambassador, who was filmed on a hidden camera by the activist group Led By Donkeys, judged that London’s posture was “immoral”, evoking the slavery and colonialist history of the country, in India or Africa.
London and Kigali have signed a migration partnership which provides that the United Kingdom can deport thousands of migrants to Rwanda who arrived illegally in the country by crossing the Channel on small boats. This project, widely criticized by migrant aid associations, is currently blocked by the courts.
Reacting to the broadcast of the documentary on social networks, the Rwandan government pointed out numerous factual inaccuracies and recalled its attachment to the principle of legal well-being of people. A British government spokesperson also defended the partnership with Rwanda.
This article is originally published on fr.africanews.com