The government of Rwanda announced earlier this month what it described as a “migration and economic development partnership” with the United Kingdom, in which the U.K. claims it would send migrants who had reached British territory to Rwanda for processing of their asylum claims for possible settlement in the U.K. But in practical terms, the asylum seekers will be transported to Rwanda permanently. Almost immediately after the agreement was announced, it came under fire, with critics calling London’s role in it a legally dubious violation of international humanitarian norms that treats human beings like commodities, all to help the U.K. “outsource its refugee problems.”

But while much of the commentary has justifiably focused on the U.K.’s incentives for proposing the partnership, scant attention has been paid to Kigali’s motivations for agreeing to it. A good place to start is Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s desire to bolster the country’s international image and rebut criticism of his human rights record, while also strengthening ties with the Anglophone world.