(MENAFN) Somalia strongly rejected allegations on Wednesday that it had struck a “secret deal” with Sweden involving conditional development aid linked to the deportation of Somali nationals. The prime minister’s office stated that “Somalia has no secret or conditional arrangement with any partner concerning the return of its nationals or the allocation of development assistance.”

Recent media reports suggested that Somalia had agreed to accept deported citizens in exchange for funding a project near the prime minister’s office. The government called these reports “false, misleading, and unfounded” and emphasized that cooperation with Sweden is “long-standing, transparent, and grounded in mutual respect and international law.”

According to the statement, all bilateral engagements are conducted through formal diplomatic channels and overseen by Somalia’s Cabinet and institutional accountability mechanisms. Development aid is managed through transparent systems, including the World Bank, UN agencies, and Somalia’s own financial structures.

As of 2024, nearly 70,000 Somalis reside in Sweden, according to Statistics Sweden.

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