Recommendation 44

In his evidence to us on 19 December 2023, the Home Secretary suggested 64 that we could draw an inference about UNHCR’s views from the fact that it had transferred more than 160 asylum seekers to Rwanda the day after the Supreme Court judgment. However, the Home Office has subsequently confirmed 65 that this transfer was connected with a transit mechanism operated by UNHCR which was referred to by the Supreme Court: “Rwanda has also supported the UNHCR emergency transport mechanism for asylum seekers from Libya. Once in Rwanda, their claims are processed by UNHCR, and the claimants have been resettled by UNHCR in third countries”. 66 This flight therefore has no bearing on the assessment of the Rwanda Treaty.