Mogadishu (Diplomat.so) – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on Friday, June 26, that Somalia does not refuse to readmit its citizens but is seeking reliable verification procedures to ensure only confirmed Somali nationals are returned, following the European Union's decision to temporarily tighten visa rules for Somali passport holders.
Speaking shortly after midnight during Somalia's 66th anniversary commemoration of the independence of the country's northern regions on June 26, 1960, the president addressed the European Union's concerns over cooperation on the readmission of Somali nationals staying irregularly in EU member states. His remarks came a day after the Council of the European Union announced temporary restrictions on visa facilitation for Somali citizens, citing insufficient cooperation on readmission.
"The European Union says Somalia has refused to take back its people. I say we have not refused our people because they belong to this country," Hassan Sheikh said. "Our only question concerns the process used to verify and return those individuals."
He said Somalia’s concern is not the principle of return but the credibility of identification procedures used before deportation or readmission. The president noted that Somalia has previously received individuals identified abroad as Somali nationals who were later found not to be Somali after arrival.
"Anyone who has our skin colour, our appearance, and lives in the Horn of Africa has at some point declared themselves Somali in order to seek political asylum in Europe,” he said, pointing to challenges in distinguishing between claimed identity and verified origin.
Hassan Sheikh said some returnees have arrived unable to speak Somali or provide verifiable links to Somalia, reinforcing what he described as the need for stronger screening mechanisms. "Our position today is that we must verify these individuals are genuinely Somali. If they are Somali, we will receive them. If they are not Somali, we will identify their country of origin,” he said.
Addressing the gathering attended by senior government officials, lawmakers, military leaders and members of the public, Mohamud also thanked European countries for granting legal residence to Somali nationals who qualified for protection. He added that Somalia wants citizens whose asylum claims have been rejected to return home through an orderly and verified process, noting that the government has previously arranged charter flights to facilitate returns.
According to the Council of the European Union, the measures adopted on June 25 suspend several visa facilitation provisions for Somali nationals. EU member states will no longer issue multiple-entry visas under the facilitation arrangements, waive certain documentary requirements, or waive visa fees for holders of Somali diplomatic and service passports. The standard processing period for visa applications will also increase from 15 to 45 calendar days. The Council said the measures are intended to encourage stronger cooperation on readmission and will remain under review.
A government official familiar with migration coordination, speaking to Diplomat News Network during the anniversary event, said technical discussions between Somali and EU officials remain focused on identity verification procedures rather than disagreement over accepting confirmed Somali citizens. The issue carries broader implications for migration cooperation, consular services and relations between Somalia and the European Union as both sides continue negotiations over return mechanisms and documentation standards.
