Musings From Abroad

Rwanda claims UN refugee agency lied in British asylum policy case

Published

4 months ago

June 14, 2024

Rwanda claims that the UN refugee agency lied when it informed a British court this week that those who were transported to the East African nation as asylum seekers may be sent back to other countries where they might be subjected to torture or killed.

As part of a challenge to the British government’s policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda, attorneys representing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) claimed on Monday that the country’s asylum system was deficient.

The British Supreme Court’s argument for ruling the British plan unlawful last year was largely based on historical evidence, which the attorneys used to argue that the program put asylum seekers at risk of being forced to undergo the illegal process known as refoulement.

“UNHCR is lying,” Rwanda’s government spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The organisation seems intent on presenting fabricated allegations to U.K. courts about Rwanda’s treatment of asylum seekers, while still partnering with us to bring African migrants from Libya to safety in Rwanda.”

The organisation claimed that it had always expressed concerns regarding the dangers that “externalisation”—including refoulement—posed to migrants.

“UNHCR … finds that the UK-Rwanda Asylum partnership shifts responsibility for making asylum decisions and for protecting refugees,” it said in a statement on Wednesday, declining further comment on grounds of related court action.

The UNHCR’s legal representatives brought up matters in court, according to Rwanda’s government, that included either voluntary departures or the arrival of people who had legal status in another country but did not meet entry standards.

Last Monday, Britain announced that the first flight to Rwanda would depart on July 24. However, this is contingent upon the Conservatives led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s party winning the general elections on July 4.

That seems improbable given that the opposition Labour Party has promised to cancel the proposal if elected, and it now leads by almost 20 points in opinion polls.

Musings From Abroad

US President Biden to visit Germany, Angola next month

Published

2 days ago

September 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The White House announced on Tuesday that US President Joe Biden will make his first trip to Africa as president, visiting Germany and Angola from October 10 to 15.

According to the White House, Biden’s first destination will be Germany, where he will thank the country for helping Ukraine’s defence against Russia, among other things.

Biden is scheduled to meet with President Joao Lourenco from October 13–15 while in Angola. According to the White House, the two presidents will talk about stepping up their cooperation on common goals, which include strengthening economic connections and advancing peace and security.

Due to the Israel-Hamas conflict that broke out in October of last year, Biden’s intended visit to Angola was cancelled. As Beijing makes significant investments on the African continent, Biden has committed to strengthening US ties with democratic nations there.

According to President Biden, the key to realising the potential of this pivotal decade is for the United States to work in partnership with African leaders as well as leaders from civil society, business, the diaspora, women, and youth.

Musings From Abroad

Eni of Italy to begin exploring in Ghadames basin of North Africa in 2025

Published

3 days ago

September 25, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The director of Eni’s North Africa and Levant division for Italy stated on Monday that the company viewed Libya as a crucial nation for upstream operations and that it intended to begin exploring in the Ghadames basin the following year.

“We have never stopped looking at Libya as a crucial region for oil and gas production,” Martina Opizzi said during a panel discussion on Libya’s energy sector organised in Rome by Energy Capital & Power.

“We estimate that there are still resources to be discovered and we are also planning offshore exploration shortly,” Opizzi added.

Oil exports at major Libyan ports were halted last month. Production was curtailed across the country amid a standoff between rival political factions over control of the central bank and oil revenue.

Production started to recover in the first half of September, but the dispute on the central bank has not be resolved.

Parts of Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya are included in the vast intra-cratonic Ghadames Basin. The three nations are each carrying out separate petroleum exploration projects in their respective basins, employing various play models and, as a result, producing various exploration outputs.