MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has responded to the European Union’s decision to tighten visa procedures for Somali nationals, saying his government remains ready to receive Somali citizens who no longer have legal status in European countries.
The president stressed that Somalia has never refused to accept the return of its citizens, but said the main challenge lies in verifying the identities of individuals being repatriated.
“Somali migrants who travelled to Europe and obtained legal status — we thank the countries that granted them that opportunity. Those who lost their legal status, we want them to return home. We want them back.”
However, President Hassan Sheikh said some individuals who are not Somali nationals have claimed Somali identity to obtain asylum or residency in Europe, making the verification process more complicated.
He said he had personally encountered cases in which people deported from Europe and returned to Somalia were later found not to be genuine Somali citizens, raising concerns about the procedures used to establish nationality.