The meeting focused on strengthening the Somali passport system and addressing the increasing misuse of travel documents for illegal migration.

This comes as Somalia faces a growing human trafficking crisis, with reports of traffickers exploiting vulnerable individuals using Somali passports.

Officials presented reports detailing the challenges in passport recognition and measures needed to curb unlawful migration.

ICA Director General Mustafa Duhulow emphasized the urgency of improving service delivery and cracking down on trafficking networks.

“We must accelerate our efforts against illegal migration and human trafficking. Relevant departments must remain vigilant to protect Somali youth and prevent traffickers from exploiting vulnerable individuals,” Duhulow said in a statement.

Trafficking Through Mogadishu Airport

Meanwhile, Artan Mohamed Artan, head of Mogadishu Border Control, told Kaab TV that authorities have started intercepting individuals being trafficked through Aden Adde International Airport.

“We regularly rescue young men and women who are in the hands of traffickers attempting to smuggle them through Libya and Algeria,” Artan said.

According to Artan, some of those rescued have been reunited with their families, while officials closely monitor the travel of young people aged 19-25, the primary targets of traffickers.

Human trafficking remains a severe and persistent issue in Somalia, fueled by conflict, economic hardship, corruption, and weak governance.

The country is both a source and transit hub for trafficking, with victims subjected to forced labor, sexual exploitation, and recruitment by armed groups.

The U.S. Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report consistently ranks Somalia among the lowest globally (Tier 3) due to the lack of anti-trafficking laws and weak enforcement.

Corrupt officials and porous borders further enable trafficking networks to operate with impunity.

In a recent development, a Somali diplomat was arrested in Ireland for his involvement in an international human trafficking network.

The diplomat, who was based in Saudi Arabia, allegedly sold Somali diplomatic and service passports to traffickers smuggling people into Europe.

He was detained in Dublin after flying in from Dubai in November last year, exposing a network that exploited diplomatic privileges to facilitate illegal migration.

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