Helsinki(Mogadishu24)- The Finnish government has announced the suspension of its bilateral development cooperation program with Somalia, citing lack of progress in readmissions cooperation.

The decision aligns with Finland’s Government Programme, which ties development cooperation to the readmission of nationals and support for the international rules-based order.

“This suspension means no new funding decisions for the country programme will be made until we see concrete progress in readmissions cooperation with Somalia,” said Ville Tavio, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Wednesday.

While ongoing projects under the program will be completed as per agreements, the suspension does not affect humanitarian aid, support for civil society organizations, or private sector initiatives. Since 2025, Finland has allocated EUR 8–9 million annually for bilateral development cooperation with Somalia.

Somalia remains a long-term partner for Finland in development cooperation, crisis management, and mediation. Both countries maintain diverse bilateral relations, and discussions on readmissions cooperation will continue, including at the EU level.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs emphasized that progress on creating sustainable return solutions could allow the resumption of the suspended program.