Somalia, 1 October 2025 – Sweden secretly redirected 100 million kronor (about USD 10.6 million) from its aid budget to projects linked to Somalia’s Prime Minister in exchange for Somalia’s agreement to accept deported citizens, according to Ekot, the news service of Sveriges Radio, Sweden’s national public radio broadcaster.
The confidential deal, concluded in December 2023, has drawn sharp criticism from aid experts and officials, who warn of heightened corruption risks in one of the world’s most fragile states.
Aid-for-deportation arrangement
Sources in both Somalia and Sweden told Ekot that Somali negotiators insisted Swedish aid money be funneled in ways that strengthened the political circle around the Prime Minister. Swedish authorities reportedly complied, and both governments sought to keep the deal secret.
Since then, deportations of Somalis from Sweden have surged, with police figures showing 28 people forcibly returned last year.
The first disbursement of 40 million kronor (USD 4.2 million) was made in 2024, followed by another 60 million kronor (USD 6.3 million) this past summer. The money was channeled into a partnership between the Somali prime minister’s office and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
High corruption risk flagged
Somalia ranks second-to-last globally on Transparency International’s corruption index, fueling concern that the arrangement may undermine accountability.
“The risk of corruption is so obvious to those of us who have worked with these issues,” said Wilo Abdulle Osman, a Somali immigration specialist.
Experts consulted by Ekot described the project as a “high-risk” initiative with vague objectives and unclear indicators of success.
“I would not have approved funding for this project,” said Mats Hårsmar of Sweden’s Expert Group for Aid Studies. “It is not clear what activities are actually being strengthened within the prime minister’s office.”
Government defence, internal dissent
Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation, Benjamin Dousa, confirmed in a written response that the government had linked aid and migration policy to increase deportations.
He stressed, however, that Sida and Swedish embassies were responsible for aid implementation.
Sida’s leadership has not directly addressed criticisms of the project but noted that the decision to route funding through UNDP came from the government itself.
Internal Sida sources told Ekot that the project would never have been prioritized without government pressure.
UNDP stated the project adheres to its standard procedures to ensure effective implementation.
Somalia’s Prime Minister’s office has not responded to Ekot’s requests for comment.