(MENAFN) Somalia on Wednesday strongly denied claims of a covert agreement with Sweden that allegedly tied development aid to the forced return of Somali nationals, calling the reports “false, misleading, and unfounded.”

In a statement shared on the US social media platform X, the office of Somalia’s prime minister firmly rejected the allegations, declaring: “Somalia has no secret or conditional arrangement with any partner concerning the return of its nationals or the allocation of development assistance.”

The denial follows media reports suggesting Mogadishu had agreed to accept deported Somali citizens in return for Swedish development funding directed toward a project linked to the prime minister’s office.

“These claims are false, misleading, and unfounded,” the statement reiterated.

Somalia emphasized that its relationship with Sweden is based on “long-standing, transparent, and grounded in mutual respect and international law,” with all cooperation conducted via formal diplomatic channels and monitored by the Somali Cabinet and national oversight institutions.

The statement also clarified that all development assistance to Somalia is managed through “transparent mechanisms,” involving entities such as the World Bank, UN agencies, and the Somali government’s own financial system.

According to Statistics Sweden, the Scandinavian country is home to nearly 70,000 Somali nationals as of 2024.

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