MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – Somalia has refused to accept deportees from Finland and Switzerland, as Mogadishu remains reluctant to take back citizens rejected by Western countries.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the issue came up during a heated discussion in Helsinki in June between Somalia’s Minister of Security, Abdullahi Ismail Fartaag, and Finland’s Internal Security Minister, Mari Rantanen.
During the sensitive meeting, Rantanen reportedly urged Somalia to accept nationals who had committed crimes in Finland, suggesting that Helsinki would resume development aid in return.
Somalia, however, declined the proposal.
Kaab TV has also learned that Swiss authorities requested the deportation of three Somali nationals who had been serving prison sentences.
The Somali Ministry of Security reportedly turned down the request as well.
“A return to Somalia is not safe for these individuals, and Minister Fartaag therefore declined the demand,” the source at the ministry confirmed.
Finland suspended its Somalia Country Programme in November last year, setting a condition that “concrete progress must be made in readmission cooperation with Somalia.”
The matter remains a contentious issue in Finland.
Just last Monday, Finland’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio, told Finnish ambassadors that development cooperation with Somalia would remain suspended, citing a lack of progress in the return of Somali nationals whose residence permits were canceled or who are awaiting deportation.
According to the Somali-Finnish community, between 100 and 200 Somali citizens are currently affected, including individuals convicted of rape, robbery, and other crimes.
Forced returns from Finland to Somalia had been halted for almost three years beginning in 2021 but have gradually resumed since late last year. So far in 2025, Finnish authorities have returned 11 Somalis, including three who returned voluntarily.