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Minister of the Interior Rantanen meets with Somalia's Minister of Internal Security Ismail

Finnish Government

Ministry of the Interior
Publication date 24.6.2025 15.20
Type:Press release

Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen met with Somalia's Minister of Internal Security Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail in Helsinki on 23 June. The meeting was a continuation of Minister Rantanen's visit to Mogadishu earlier this year. Its purpose was to further strengthen relations between Finland and Somalia in the field of internal security and to agree on the next steps in cooperation on return issues.

"Our aim is to create mutually beneficial practices in the area of internal security. It is of utmost importance for Finland to establish effective return arrangements also with Somalia, so that people staying illegally in the country can be returned to their home country. I am pleased that our cooperation is progressing in this area, too," says Minister of the Interior Rantanen.

As part of the cooperation, Finnish and Somali authorities intend to launch a project this year to strengthen the capacity of the Somali immigration authorities. The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs will finance the project through the Institutional Cooperation Instrument (ICI).

During this government term, Finland has also promoted returns through a number of national measures. For example, the regulation on detention and entry bans has been tightened, and legislation has been amended so that certain deportation decisions can be enforced more quickly than before. The regulation on removal from the country will be further developed, and Finland is actively participating in negotiations on the EU return legislation.

In their meeting, the ministers also discussed developments in the security environment in their respective countries. In Finland, for example, border security has required new technology and legislation, such as the Border Security Act, which was enacted to combat instrumentalised migration. Partner countries such as Somalia also play an important role in combating instrumentalised migration: they can provide their citizens with accurate information about the conditions in the country of destination and the risks involved in the journey.