Arbitration pursuant to the Asylum Partnership Agreement (The Republic of Rwanda v. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
By Notice of Arbitration dated 24 November 2025, the Republic of Rwanda commenced arbitral proceedings against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland pursuant to Article 22 of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Rwanda and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the Provision of an Asylum Partnership to Strengthen Shared International Commitments on the Protection of Refugees and Migrants and the PCA Arbitration Rules 2012. The Permanent Court of Arbitration acted as Registry in this arbitration pursuant to Article 1(3) of the PCA Arbitration Rules.
Case information
| Name(s) of Claimant(s) |
The Republic of Rwanda (State) |
| Name(s) of Respondent(s) | The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (State) |
| Names of Parties | - |
| Case number | 2025-45 |
| Administering institution | Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) |
| Case status | Concluded |
| Type of case | Inter-state arbitration |
| Subject matter or economic sector | Other service |
| Procedural rules | Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Arbitration Rules 2012 |
| Treaty or contract under which proceedings were commenced |
Bilateral treaty |
| Language of Proceeding |
English |
| Seat of Arbitration (by Country) | - |
| Arbitrator(s), Conciliator(s), Other Neutral(s) | H.E. Judge Peter Tomka (Chairperson)
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Wahab
Judge Joan Donoghue |
| Representatives of the Claimant(s) |
Agent
Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja
Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Justice
Counsel
Lord Verdirame KC
Ms. Belinda McRae
Twenty Essex |
| Representatives of the Respondent(s) |
Agent
Dr. Tamsin Stubbing
Deputy Director, Resettlement & International Strategy, Home Office Legal Advisers
Representative
Mr. Daniel Hobbs
Director General for Migration and Borders Group, Home Office
Counsel
Dr. Ben Juratowitch KC
Dr. Naomi Hart
Essex Court Chambers
Ms. Alma Mozetič
Twenty Essex
|
| Representatives of the Parties | |
| Number of Arbitrators in case | 3 |
| Date of commencement of proceeding | 24 November 2025 |
| Date of issue of final award | 15 May 2026 |
| Length of Proceedings | Less than one year |
| Additional notes | - |
Documents
Written submission
Statement of Claim
download |
27 January 2026 |
English |
549.62KB
Statement of Defence
download |
27 February 2026 |
English |
1.71MB
Reply
download |
05 March 2026 |
English |
382.23KB
Notice of Arbitration
download |
24 November 2025 |
English |
617.75KB
Response to the Notice of Arbitration
download |
12 December 2025 |
English |
683.70KB
Procedural Documents
Award or other decision
Press Release
Communiqué de presse - Initiation de la procédure d’arbitrage
download |
30 January 2026 |
French |
174.59KB
Press Release - Commencement of Arbitration
download |
30 January 2026 |
English |
194.14KB
Communiqué de presse - Audience
download |
12 March 2026 |
French |
221.60KB
Press Release - Hearing
download |
12 March 2026 |
English |
220.37KB
Press Release - Conclusion of Hearing
download |
27 March 2026 |
English |
1.94MB
Communiqué de presse - Clôture de l’audience
download |
27 March 2026 |
French |
1.94MB
Press Release - Issuance and Publication of the Award
download |
01 June 2026 |
English |
204.86KB
Communiqué de presse - Rendu et publication de la Sentence
download |
01 June 2026 |
French |
204.74KB
Image
Tribunal in session
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
4.57MB
Arbitral Tribunal with Registry staff
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
4.68MB
Delegation of Rwanda
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
4.96MB
Delegation of the United Kingdom
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
5.52MB
Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, Agent for Rwanda
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
4.18MB
Lord Verdirame KC, Counsel for Rwanda
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
3.94MB
Ms Belinda McRae, Counsel for Rwanda
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
4.25MB
Dr Tamsin Stubbing, Agent for the United Kingdom
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
4.52MB
Mr Ben Juratowitch KC, Counsel for the United Kingdom
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
4.14MB
Ms Naomi Hart, Counsel for the United Kingdom
download |
20 March 2026 |
N/A |
4.44MB