Johnson said the Rwandan meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) was “an opportunity for all of us to understand what the partnership has to offer, what Rwanda has to offer and to help shed some of it.” concessions to Rwanda. “ The prime minister, joking that he was aware he was arriving in Kigali before “anyone traveling illegally in the English Channel”, insisted the policy was a good idea. The Prime Minister said to start the trains during the PMQ – latest policy updates His remarks come after weeks of controversy over the policy, culminating in the immobilization of the first scheduled flight following last-minute intervention by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The government then announced its intention to introduce new legislation in the House of Commons in an effort to reduce the ECHR’s influence on British affairs. One alleged critic of Rwanda’s refugee policy is Prince Charles, who reportedly told friends that the decision to deport Rwandan asylum seekers was “terrible”. The Prince of Wales, who is representing the Queen for the first time at CHOGM, is due to meet with the Prime Minister on Friday for a cup of tea, which could prove to be a rather awkward meeting. Johnson downgraded the split shortly before leaving for Kigali, telling reporters he “had no evidence of the claim… of the prince’s comments”. “It is a plan to deal with the tragic abuse of people crossing the Channel,” he insisted, “and has not been deemed illegal by any court.” Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:52 Rwanda: What is the government plan? The prime minister is likely to face more questions about Rwanda’s plan However, the prime minister could address further policy questions during his three-day visit to Rwanda, as the UK has documented its human rights concerns in Rwanda at the United Nations. In January 2021, the British government expressed concern about “continuing restrictions on civil and political rights and freedom of the media”. The United Kingdom has also urged Rwanda to “shape the values of the Commonwealth of Democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights”. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 4:14 Experience dealing with deportation Three key facts in Johnson’s diary For the prime minister, the Commonwealth summit kicks off a trio of key events in nine days of international diplomacy, which he hopes will offer an opportunity to repair his power and situation after a vote of confidence in him earlier this month. At the 54-nation Commonwealth summit in Kigali on Thursday, the prime minister will travel to Germany on Saturday to meet with G7 leaders before concluding his tour of the NATO summit in Madrid. There is much to be done, with the Prime Minister wanting to use these summits to focus on the international diplomatic and military response to the Ukraine war, with food security an issue that is likely to run through all three rallies as leaders fight with the complexity of trying to export crops in the midst of conflict. Subscribe to the Beth Rigby Interviews podcast … Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker It is expected to use high-level meetings to warn of war-weary fatigue as the conflict enters its fourth month without end. Johnson is undoubtedly the closest ally of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and will want to use these meetings to push his case. But there are points of tension beyond Rwanda’s deportation program. The prime minister is heading to meetings with European allies and the US with the Brexit divisions far behind on the agenda. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:42 EU: Protocol bill is ‘politically oriented’ At the G7, the prime minister will meet with European leaders, German Chancellor Olaf Solz and French President Emanuel Macron, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for the first time since the government introduced legislation to replace him. parts of the Brexit treaty. signed with Brussels in 2020 and the EU in turn resumed legal action against London. Everything is a bit deja vu: tensions over Northern Ireland’s trade arrangements overshadowed last year’s G7 summit in Cornwall – also in the US – and they could do it again. Ahead of last year ‘s meeting, US President Joe Biden ordered officials to criticize Mr Johnson as an “extraordinary diplomatic reprimand”, accusing the UK of “tensions” in Ireland. Agreements and alliances on the conflict in Ukraine went well for the prime minister in the first quarter of the year. But the long-running Brexit conflict has erupted as soon as Johnson returns to the world stage, and he will need a real dose of diplomacy to prevent these divisions from ruining this resurgence attempt.
