Somalia: President Rejects EU Visa Sanctions, Says Bloc Returning Non-Somalis

MOGADISHU, Somalia — The term-ended Somali President Hassan Sheikh has rejected new European Union visa restrictions imposed on Somali nationals, saying his government is willing to accept the return of its citizens but alleging that some deportees sent from Europe are not Somali.

The EU approved the measures on Thursday after concluding that Somalia had not sufficiently cooperated in readmitting its nationals who have been ordered to leave European countries.

Somalia's President Rejects EU Visa Sanctions, Says Bloc Returning Non-SomalisHassan Sheikh said his government had never refused to receive verified Somali citizens.

"We have not rejected our own people. This country belongs to them, and we cannot refuse them," the president said.

However, he argued that the government has concerns over the identification process used by some European countries, saying people from across the Horn of Africa often have similar physical features and that some migrants falsely claim Somali nationality when seeking asylum.

"There have been cases where people sent back to Somalia could not even speak the Somali language," he said, adding that authorities are prepared to receive genuine Somali nationals but cannot accept individuals who are not citizens.

Under the new EU measures, Somali nationals will no longer be eligible for multiple-entry visas, visa fee waivers for holders of diplomatic passports have been suspended, and the standard processing time for visa applications has been extended from 15 days to 45 days.

The restrictions come amid ongoing disagreements between Brussels and Mogadishu over the repatriation of irregular migrants and are intended to encourage greater cooperation on readmission procedures.

GAROWE ONLNE