Copyright hiiraan
Hiiraan Online Today from Hiiraan Online: Somali Music advertisements Sweden under fire over secret $517,000 payment to Somalia for deportations FacebookFacebook messengerTwitterWhatsAppLinkedInTelegramEmail Tuesday October 28, 2025 Mogadishu (HOL) — Sweden’s opposition parties have called for a parliamentary investigation into Migration Minister Johan Forssell after revelations that his government paid more than five million kronor, about $517,000, to Somalia’s federal government to facilitate deportations of Somali nationals. The payment, authorized at a cabinet meeting in April and signed by Forssell, was reportedly transferred through the UN migration agency IOM to Somalia’s government offices under a classified arrangement made outside Sweden’s official aid budget, according to Dagens Nyheter. The funds were meant to help Somalia accept 28 citizens previously denied entry after deportation orders from Sweden. The Swedish daily reported that the payment financed three government posts within the Somali Prime Minister’s Office, each paying over 100,000 kronor per month, allegedly filled by relatives of people in Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s inner circle. DN said the government’s initial case file on the decision was empty; when documentation was later released, IOM’s project records were heavily redacted, citing foreign affairs confidentiality. Forssell denied wrongdoing, calling the payment part of a “migration policy cooperation,” not aid. “This is about ensuring that countries take back people who have committed serious crimes, including violent and sexual offenses, in Sweden,” he said, insisting there was “no evidence” of corruption. Transparency International ranked Somalia among the world’s most corrupt countries in 2024, heightening scrutiny of the payment. Sources cited by Swedish media said government officials at Sida and Sweden’s Nairobi embassy had warned the Foreign Ministry against such an arrangement, calling it “completely insane.” The controversy follows earlier revelations that Sweden had previously tied a far larger aid package to Somali deportations. In late 2023, Sweden’s ambassador in Mogadishu reportedly reached a deal with the Somali government to redirect 100 million kronor ($10 million) in development funds toward projects linked to the prime minister’s office in exchange for Somalia’s acceptance of deported nationals. That arrangement provoked resistance from Sweden’s aid agency Sida and the World Bank, which froze disbursements over accountability concerns. The standoff culminated in Somalia expelling Sweden’s aid chief in May 2025 before the remaining funds were rerouted through UNDP and deportations resumed. The Social Democrats and the Left Party have filed complaints to parliament’s Constitutional Committee (KU), while the Green Party called for Forssell’s resignation. “This is outright bribe money to an Islamist government,” said Social Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Morgan Johansson. Green Party leader Amanda Lind said the scandal showed “trust in the migration minister is completely broken.Forssell said Sweden worked through IOM, not directly with Somalia, and emphasized “zero tolerance” for misconduct. “If any irregularities appear, we will act immediately,” he told Aftonbladet, adding that he wanted “more partnerships like this” to accelerate deportations. The DN investigation followed earlier reports by Ekot showing that in 2023, while Forssell was aid minister, Sweden redirected UNDP-managed development funds to Somalia in exchange for accepting deported nationals, suggesting a recurring pattern. Somalia ultimately accepted 28 deportees last year, a breakthrough that Swedish officials initially attributed to “enhanced cooperation.” Forssell later claimed deportations have increased by about 60 percent since his government took office, though he did not specify figures for Somalia. Critics argue the government sidestepped aid oversight mechanisms and used taxpayer money to finance salaries for Somali officials, blurring the line between diplomacy and bribery. Supporters of the deal say it reflects a pragmatic approach to enforcing deportations after years of bureaucratic deadlock. Somali officials have consistently denied claims of any secret or conditional aid arrangements. In a statement on Oct. 9, 2025, the Office of the Prime Minister dismissed Swedish media reports as “false, misleading, and unfounded,” insisting that all cooperation between Mogadishu and Stockholm is conducted transparently through cabinet oversight and established multilateral channels such as the World Bank and UN agencies. The government stated that development funding is managed through formal financial mechanisms and that no bilateral agreement exists linking aid to deportations. The controversy has deepened divisions in Stockholm over migration enforcement and transparency in foreign funding. It also raises questions about how European governments negotiate with fragile states like Somalia, where corruption, patronage, and weak oversight remain entrenched. Opinion| Privacy Policy|Sports|Somali Music|Somali Map All Rights Reserved Copyright. © 1999-2025, www.hiiraan.com
