Anxious wait for asylum seekers in the UK

An Eritrean asylum seeker waits anxiously in London to know if she is going to be deported to Rwanda.

The story of 23 year old Hayat (false name, Ed.) echoes that of many others who have arrived in Britain looking for a better life.

"When I think about Rwanda, I cannot sleep at night because I have a lot of problems in my life before, and now comes a new problem". (...) "I think it is not a safe country, I don’t know. I don’t have any idea about Rwanda, what is Rwanda, safe, not safe, I don’t have any idea", she said. 

Last year a record of more than 45,000 refugees arrived in the UK illegally crossing the Channel by boat.

The UK government has signed a deal with Rwanda to fly illegal arrivals there before their asylum claims are even considered.

"I have travelled from Eritrea to Sudan by foot and from Sudan to Egypt, then from Egypt to Italy, then from Italy to Switzerland, then from Switzerland to France, then from France to UK and now I am tired. I don’t have power (energy, Ed.) to go to another country, a new country, a new life, I think it’s finished for me. I don’t have power, no power to do anything", she lamented.

This week, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak presented a five-point list of promises for 2023, including a pledge to "stop the boats".