The government is giving a grant of SEK 70 million to the UN migration agency IOM to, among other things, increase returns to Syria, Somalia and Afghanistan.
A similar, debated aid to Somalia last year has yielded good results, according to Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M).
Minister of Migration Johan Forssell (M).
Photo: Lars Schröder/TT / TT NEWS AGENCY
The money is to be used, among other things, to increase the return to and counter irregular migration from Iraq, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Tunisia and Libya.
– Currently, only every third asylum seeker actually has reasons for protection. But then there are problems with people not wanting to return, and sometimes it’s not that easy to return, says Forssell.
It could be that you have not been allowed into the country or that you do not have ID documents that are accepted, he says.
– Then with means like this, for example, you can build capacity to determine the identity of people. It can also be things like having something to return to: a home, a roof over your head, food and medicine.
Somalia agreement
Ekot revealed last autumn an agreement that Sweden concluded with Somalia, to increase forced deportations to Somalia. According to both Ekot and DN, aid money had been redirected to end up closer to Somalia’s government.
According to DN, parts of the support went to so-called ghost workers, people who are registered for positions without performing any work – which has been refuted by Forssell.
– So far, no one has been able to present any facts that there would be corruption. There have been many who have claimed it, but there is still no evidence. But I see that there is a collaboration here that has made it possible for us to have fivefold the deportations in a short time.
The collaboration is continuously evaluated and the government has zero tolerance for corruption, says Forssell. If problems arise, measures will be taken.
Criminal deportations
As with Somalia, the questions about the identification of people are reoccurring in several of the countries that now come into question.
– Then the design of the work looks a little different. But we work a lot on the identity issues themselves, and I see that as natural to be able to enforce criminal deportations.
On the question of whether the new support is conditional on the recipient countries meeting requirements regarding return, Forssell emphasizes that it is not aid money but that the funds go through IOM.
– But we want the funds to be used effectively and to achieve results. Getting the return started is a very clear priority for the government.
