Gross misperception about Rwanda in the UK, Home Secretary says
Ms Braverman said any concerns ministers had with Rwanda about the support of rebels in DRC would be raised in private.
![Home Secretary Suella Braverman tours a new construction training academy in Kigali (Stefan Rousseau/PA)](https://static.the-independent.com/2023/03/18/22/4b2f3a3275718ca9780e0187eaf11304Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjc5MjQ5MDI0-2.71423096.jpg)
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Your support makes all the difference.The Home Secretary has said there is a āgross misperception about Rwanda in the UKā after being asked if the migration deal affected the Governmentās ability to criticise the country on other issues.
Neighbouring nation the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accused Rwanda of firing rockets into its territory last year ā as tensions between the two nations remains high.
But Ms Braverman said any concerns ministers had with Rwanda about the support of rebels in DRC would be raised in private, describing the relationship between the African nation and the UK as ācloseā and āfrankā.
Speaking to reporters on her visit to Kigali, Ms Braverman said: āWell, the way I view our relationship with Rwanda is one that is a close relationship and a frank relationship.
āMinisters, if there are concerns, weāll raise them in private and thatās the right way that international relations operates.
āWhat I would say is that there is a gross misperception about Rwanda in the UK.
āActually, this is my third visit to Rwanda in the last 15 years or so, and Rwanda is a safe country.
āAnd thatās not just me saying that, thatās our High Court ā putting it in an exhaustive judgment.
āOur scheme complies with international law it complies with the European Convention on Human Rights and complies with the Refugee Convention.ā
Ms Braverman continued: āRwanda is a forward-looking dynamic economy.
āRwanda has a real role and itās a beacon in the region for providing humanitarian relief and refuge to refugees in the region.
āSo I think that there there are myths about Rwanda and really, Iām here to be a champion of our friends in Rwanda and to work in partnership with them.ā
Pressed on whether the deal affected the Governmentās ability to criticise Rwanda on other issues, Ms Braverman said: āAs I said, if there are any concerns, those will be raised by relevant ministers in private.ā