Yolande Makolo Quotes

The UK-Rwanda partnership is seen as a model that can salvage thousands of young people, men, women and children from making desperate journeys across seas looking for safety as asylum seekers or economic opportunities.

If the partnership with the UK works out as expected, it will be a solution to the global migration challenges, resulting from recent upheavals across the world which have led to many people fleeing their countries, posing a challenge for others, with no immediate solution in place

When the first flight lands here in Kigali, the new arrivals will be welcomed and will be looked after and supported to make new lives here. We will provide support with their asylum applications, including legal support and translation services,”

We want to build these opportunities here. We want people to come and live with us here, to build these opportunities and to benefit from the opportunities and make this a place of opportunity, a continent of opportunities

The country cannot be deterred by different opinions from elsewhere because Rwanda and Rwandans know what it means to be a refugee or asylum seeker, and cannot abandon those in dire need for safety.

They are not taken into consideration by other parts of the UN system, but this information has to be used to ensure the protection of all civilians, including Rwandans.”

The report authored by ‘independent experts’ reveals nothing new and falls short of addressing the root cause of the conflict in Eastern DRC, which is the existence of armed groups, including the FDLR which has operated there since 1994, despite the existence of the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

Rwandans know what it is to be on the move, or to be displaced, just because of the history of our country,” Makolo said, reiterating why the country maintains an open policy for refugees, asylum seekers and other categories of people in need of safety,

What I can say about the treaty that we are working on right now is that we reinforce the guarantees that are in the MOU’s. So, it’ll be the provisions already there. The reinforcing of these guarantees in the treaty will address the concerns of the court and will reassure anyone who has any worries about asylum seekers being sent back to the country that they came from,”

The region has come together, the leaders of this region are working hard, mostly committed to ensuring that peace is restored to that part of DR Congo, “So it's a DRC problem. Where we come in as Rwanda is the fact that nothing should threaten our territorial integrity.”

This is ultimately a decision for the UK’s judicial system. However, we do take issue with the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe third country for asylum seekers and refugees, in terms of refoulement. Rwanda and the UK have been working together to ensure the integration of relocated asylum seekers into Rwandan society,

We are determined to make this work. We understand that there might be opposition to this but we are asking that this programme be a given a chance because it’s a solution,”

Rwanda and the UK operate from a position of mutual respect and open dialogue.“The Rwandan High Commissioner to the UK plays an important role in maintaining our strong bilateral relationship with the United Kingdom as we collaborate productively across many areas, including migration.”

We will give them an opportunity to see what it’s like to live in this country. We do not consider living in Rwanda as a punishment. We don’t think anyone should,

We do hope they chose to stay with and following the footsteps of so many who have made Rwanda their home and have flourished here,