Can the government expand the Rwanda scheme to deport migrants to other countries?

From Armenia to Ivory Coast, the government is trying to persuade more countries to take our migrants, says Andrew Grice. But will it work?

A Boeing 767 that was scheduled to depart for Rwanda stands grounded at Boscombe Down airbase on 14 June 2022 following the last-minute intervention of the European Court of Human Rights (Getty)

Britain has begun talks with several other countries about replicating the government’s controversial scheme to deport migrants to Rwanda. The disclosure raised eyebrows because ministers are still awaiting parliamentary approval for legislation to declare Rwanda a safe country after its two-year-old plan was blocked by the Supreme Court.  After a further round of ping-pong between the Commons and the Lords, the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill should finally become law later this week.

Which other countries is Britain talking to?

Negotiations are said to be underway with Armenia, Botswana, Costa Rica and Ivory Coast, which are judged most likely to sign such a “third country asylum processing deal”.