UK's Rwanda policy set to start this week

The United Kingdom's new policy of sending some of the undocumented people intercepted trying to enter the country to Rwanda for processing will begin this week, despite criticism from several groups and individuals, including, allegedly, Prince Charles.

The policy, which was challenged in the UK's High Court last week and ruled legal, is aimed at deterring the large number of people who attempt to enter the country as stowaways in vehicles or on small, often overcrowded vessels.

London believes the prospect of possibly being sent to Rwanda will deter many illegal economic migrants who, it says, target the UK because of its generous welfare system.

With at least 10,000 people having been intercepted trying to illegally enter the UK so far this year, Brandon Lewis, the UK's Northern Ireland Secretary, said on Sky News on Sunday: "This is a policy that is going to deliver to ensure that modern slavery and these people - smugglers know that their criminal methods will be broken down."

Lewis insisted genuine refugees and asylum seekers will continue to get a warm welcome in the UK but that criminal gangs that smuggle people into the UK to work in shady sectors of the economy will be disrupted.

He said "people who are encouraging (economic migrants) to travel illegally are wrong, and we're going to break their business model".

Lewis said the first flights to Africa carrying migrants will take off on Tuesday.

Lawyers acting for groups opposed to the new policy have said they plan to appeal against their loss in court last week in the coming days.

Several newspapers have said the prince of Wales is among critics of the policy, and that he described London's agreement to pay the Rwandan government 120 million pounds ($148 million) to process some refugees as "appalling".

The launch of the new policy will be accompanied by a publicity campaign in which Home Secretary Priti Patel will warn undocumented economic migrants not to target the UK.

The ads will be posted on Facebook and Instagram in many languages and warn that "new measures will make it harder for you to reach and remain in the UK".

Another ad says: "Arrive illegally in the UK and you could be leaving for Rwanda."

Patel said: "Evil criminal gangs are putting profit over people by facilitating dangerous and illegal small-boat crossings. We have a duty to warn people of the consequences of these journeys, and expose the lies sold to vulnerable migrants by inhumane people - smugglers."

The Mail on Sunday said Patel is also planning to overhaul slavery laws so they cannot be used by critics of her policy to block fights to Rwanda.

The paper said the UK is also considering reducing its financial contributions to United Nations bodies after some were critical of the policy.

Sky News reported on Sunday the Rwandan government had urged people to give the policy a chance.

Yolande Makolo, a spokesperson for the government in Kigali, said it is actually "well thought out".

Makolo added that governments in Africa have a responsibility to give people a chance to live "decent" lives on the continent without the need to emigrate.

She said it was "appalling" people had to risk "their lives crossing the ocean, trying to cross the desert", rather than being able to live comfortably at home.