Two top UN officials on Tuesday called on Britain to reconsider its plans to transfer asylum seekers to Rwanda, warning that the move would affect human rights and refugee protection.
In a joint statement, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called on the UK to take practical action to tackle the irregular flow of migrants and refugees.
“The new law is another step away from the British tradition of providing asylum to those in need, in violation of the refugee convention,” Grandi said.
Turk, who has previously criticized the plan, said the law “fundamentally undermines the rule of law in the UK and threatens the world”.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday that he would start sending asylum seekers to Rwanda in 10 to 12 weeks after the upper house of parliament passed legislation that was delayed for weeks by an attempt to change the plan.
Other countries are considering tougher measures to combat illegal migration, with Italy planning to set up reception camps in Albania for thousands of migrants arriving by sea.