Picture this scene: in Mogadishu, under the shimmering African sun, the prime minister of Somalia and Finland’s Minister of the Interior pose together, their meeting a testament to international collaboration. Their gathering, captured in a photograph that tells a thousand stories, was steeped in diplomatic discussions that resonated with far-reaching implications. The image speaks volumes of hope, yet a hint of the underlying tensions lingers, like smoke on a calm breeze. Photo: Finland in Somalia
On January 21, Finnish Interior Minister Meri Rantanen made her way to the vibrant and tumultuous heart of Somalia, her arrival a calculated stride into the geopolitical landscape. Her mission? To talk turkey about deporting Somali asylum seekers from the frosty climes of Finland, a move that critics say hints at political maneuvering by the Finns Party as municipal and county elections loom on the horizon like an impending storm.
Through a symphony of diplomatic conversations, the Finnish minister, alongside Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and Minister of Internal Security Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail, aimed to strengthen the sinews of bilateral ties. They discussed escalating security frameworks and the complex dance of readmission mechanisms as if orchestrating a peacepipe in troubled waters.
“We here in Finland treasure our enduring partnership with Somalia, and setting up robust return procedures is paramount,” Rantanen eloquently remarked, positioning Somalia as a linchpin in battling terrorism and acknowledging the heroic efforts of Somali security forces in their relentless quest for peace. Touching upon the realm of counter-terrorism, Rantanen’s words rang with an air of gravity, resonating like the tolling of a solemn bell that calls attention to matters of life and death.
In a dramatic twist that’s been the talk of town, Finland has hit pause on its bilateral development aid, previously a cornerstone of Somalia’s healing journey. Future aid, they say, now dangles like a carrot predicated on positive deportation agreement outcomes. Skeptics cry foul, arguing this yoking of politics and humanitarianism undermines genuine aid, using it as leverage in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. What price does a principle fetch, one might ask?
Rantanen’s visit unfolded amidst a chorus of diverse voices as luminaries such as UN Special Representative James Swan and EU officials in Somalia paraded their diplomatic finery, signaling Finland’s alignment with European deportation protocols. It’s said that in a collaborative waltz of nations, everyone has a role to play—even those sidestepping on toes.
Back in Finland’s political arena, the Finns Party’s vocal support of stringent immigration policies resounds. Party chair and Finance Minister Riikka Purra gave a nod of approval to Rantanen’s adventure, touting it as a leap toward untangling the knot of undocumented residents. Purra, ever the pragmatist, wove a narrative implying that the key to unlocking development aid lies in Somalia’s willingness to play ball. She harps on the stalled deportations, likening them to a ship adrift without a compass.
Yet, detractors hurl accusations like stones, labeling the efforts as mere pageantry, exploiting the Somali populace for votes. Even among the skeptics singling out the relatively small number of undocumented Somali nationals—hovering between 100 and 200—questions linger like uninvited dinner guests, wondering aloud if the antics are more of a political charade than a necessity.
Ali Hassan, a Somali asylum seeker in Finland caught in the eye of this storm, shared his tale of turmoil. “After eight years of planting roots in Finland, my family feels the earth shake beneath us at the thought of returning to Somalia. The specter of Al-Shabab cast long, menacing shadows,” Hassan expressed, his voice quivering with the weight of prospects lost. Here is a life up in the air, balanced precariously like a circus tightrope walker.
From the Somali side, official word from their halls of power remains as elusive as whispers on the wind, although they have acknowledged their constraints in welcoming back those who find themselves returned to their soil. Somalia’s economy, bolstered extensively by remittances from their widespread diaspora—who send back an estimated $1.3 billion annually—might feel the pinch were policy shifts to rock the boat.
While acknowledging the inevitable dance of deportation arrangements, Somali officials have sagely cautioned against plunging individuals back into volatile circumstances. Would returning souls to a maelstrom of instability, they ponder, not exacerbate existing woes for the deportees and their kinfolk?
This meeting of minds comes at a time when European deportation policies face the rising tide of scrutiny, the call for robust realignment ringing louder against the backdrop of global complexity. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, echoing the chorus, sounded the clarion for international cooperation to confront the myriad challenges without straying from the anchored principles of justice and law—a reminder that amid all, the ship must stay its course.
Report by Axadle.
