Five European nations consider Rwanda centres built for UK deportation plan

Five European countries are negotiating an asylum arrangement with Rwanda that could use accommodation built for the UK’s cancelled deportation scheme. If agreed, the facilities would house people whose asylum claims have been rejected, showing how infrastructure funded by Britain may be used after the UK abandoned its own plan.

Germany, Austria, Greece, the Netherlands and Denmark are involved, with an announcement potentially due in November and an agreement expected by the end of the year or in January. The sites under consideration may include more than 500 apartments near Kigali and the Hope Hostel; about £700 million of UK public money was spent on the former scheme, including £290 million paid to Rwanda. Some participating countries may later consider extending the arrangement to people whose asylum claims are still being assessed.