HELSINKI, Finland (AX) — In a recent move, Finland has decided to hit pause on its development cooperation with Somalia. The primary reason? A lack of progress in settling agreements about sending back Somali folks who don’t have legal residency in Finland. Minister Ville Tavio, who handles Foreign Trade and Development, made the announcement on a Wednesday.
“The suspension means no fresh funds will be approved,” Tavio stated plainly during a media briefing. He emphasized that this hold will last until Somalia makes tangible strides in the repatriation process.
This step freezes how future funds are planned, impacting an annual slice of €8–€9 million promised for Somalia’s bilateral development setup beginning in 2025. No worries for current projects though; they’re still a go, and aid for humanitarian efforts, NGOs, or the private sector won’t feel the squeeze.
This decision ties into Finland’s bigger playbook on migration policies. Basically, Finland believes in supporting countries that help get their citizens back home when they are in another nation unlawfully. “Naturally, countries should aim to ensure anyone in their territory illegally is sent home when they can do so safely,” Tavio added, leaving little to the imagination.
Historically, Finland’s work with Somalia was all about empowering the state, handling crises, and promoting women’s rights in the realm of sexual and reproductive health. In an ambitious stretch from 2021 to 2024, Finland poured €54 million into Somalia as part of their country strategy.
Somalia has given a nod to talks about repatriation, but Finland’s still waiting for them to meet the mark. It’s not like these two are strangers; they’ve been palling around development-wise for a long stretch, working on crises, and mending fences between discordant parties.
By 2022, the Somali community in Finland was around 24,365 strong, making them the largest African-origin group in the country. Within this mix, Finland is looking to iron out deals for those without legal residency to head back.
There’s a bigger picture though. The European Union isn’t sitting this one out. It’s been hashing out migration management talks both with Somalia and the broader regional players. Finnish officials say they are keen to keep chatting with Somalia, hopeful for a solution that lets aid programs pick up where they left off.
Finland’s move isn’t one of a kind. It mirrors a growing trend among donors who want to see some migration cooperation in return for aid. Just recently, Germany shook hands with Somalia, eager to hasten the return of Somali citizens without legal residency, focusing especially on those who’ve committed serious offenses.
This understanding emerged after discussions in Berlin, with remarks from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Scholz underscored that only a “small number” of the 65,000 Somali people in Germany, those undocumented, are in the spotlight.
President Mohamud, on his part, tipped his hat to voluntary returns instead of forced deportations, assuring Somalia would open arms for returnees with opportunities for rejoining the community.
Adding layers, the EU recently talked about making visa rules tighter for Somalia as a way to prod them into accepting readmission terms. Measures include axing multi-entry visas and hiking application fees, putting added weight on Somali officials.
Yet, Somalia’s adventures in Europe face another hurdle. Italy has hit the brakes on handing Schengen visas to Somali nationals.
According to data from Frontex, Somalis topped the list for irregular crossings into EU countries in 2024. Critics wag their fingers, saying these conditions might poke holes in long-reaching development and humanitarian goals. They point to similar migration arrangements in Africa, like those with Gambia and Morocco, which haven’t exactly cracked underlying migration woes.
Still, some voices suggest such policies spur accountability and sharpen governance hurdles in aid-receiving nations. As for Somalia, the halt in Danish aid could pinch its financial plans, creating a hard balancing act with migration issues at home and abroad.
The two nations, Finland and Somalia, have been diplomatic amigos since 1971. That camaraderie took a nap due to Somalia’s extended conflict but woke again in 2013. They’ve been collaborating on crisis handling, mediation, and other developmental stuff. Despite the current freeze on funds, Finnish officials insist that the relationship remains steady and that chats on repatriation will stay on the docket.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
