Swedish Radio Probes Aid Tied to Somalia PM’s Office

STOCKHOLM / MUQDISHO — Swedish public radio has published an investigative report examining how Swedish government funds were used in Somalia following cooperation arrangements between the two countries, raising questions about aid-linked programmes associated with the Office of the Somali Prime Minister.

The investigation, broadcast by Ekot, the flagship news division of Sveriges Radio, reported that Sweden redirected approximately 100 million Swedish kronor from its development assistance budget after reaching a confidential understanding with Somalia in late 2023. According to the report, part of the funding was allocated to programmes linked to the Office of the Somali Prime Minister and implemented through international organisations, including United Nations agencies.

Ekot reported that Swedish-funded technical assistance positions were connected to the Prime Minister’s Office and that one of the individuals supported under the programme was Kamal Gutale, a senior official closely associated with Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre. The broadcaster cited an internal email from Sweden’s then ambassador to Somalia stating that Gutale held a position financed by Sweden while simultaneously serving as Permanent Secretary, effectively the chief of staff, at the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to the Swedish radio investigation, Gutale appeared in correspondence between Swedish and Somali officials discussing the redirected aid funds and was involved in exchanges related to the cooperation arrangements. Ekot further reported that when Sweden later disbursed part of the funding through the UN Development Programme, Gutale was among the Somali officials who signed the agreement. Legal experts interviewed by Ekot said the overlap between senior political proximity and involvement in aid-related processes raised governance and transparency concerns.

The report also stated that Sweden’s aid agency Sida had previously terminated a similar diaspora expert programme due to concerns about poor results and the risk of nepotism. Despite this, a smaller programme was later launched using funds from Sweden’s Ministry of Justice and implemented through the International Organization for Migration. Swedish authorities and implementing agencies declined to disclose the identities of individuals supported under the programme, citing confidentiality.

Following the broadcast, the Office of the Prime Minister of Somalia issued a formal statement categorically rejecting any allegation of impropriety, conflict of interest, coercion, or misuse of development assistance. The statement described the Swedish radio report as biased, misleading, and not grounded in verified facts.

The Prime Minister’s Office said all Swedish support is implemented through international organisations under formal agreements and that no Swedish funds are paid directly to Somali government officials. It also rejected claims that Somalia threatened to suspend cooperation on deportations in order to secure funding, saying engagements with Sweden are conducted through formal diplomatic and technical channels.

Sources told Garowe Online that the funding referenced in the Swedish radio investigation was provided to the Somali government as part of agreed programmes, with the Office of the Prime Minister serving as the lead coordinating and interlocutor institution on the Somali side. According to the sources, the Prime Minister’s Office was responsible for liaising with international partners and facilitating programme implementation, while the funds were linked to broader migration and returns cooperation between the two countries.

The sources said the objective of the funding was to support arrangements related to individuals returned from Sweden who do not hold refugee status, including those convicted of crimes, as part of settlement and reintegration efforts. They added that the Prime Minister’s Office played a central coordinating role in the programme’s execution.

The later Prime Minister’s Office statement issued after the Swedish radio investigation focused on rejecting the report’s conclusions but did not provide detailed public information about the specific structure, scope, or operational design of the programme referenced in the investigation, beyond denying the allegations raised.

Sveriges Radio said its reporting was based on documents and correspondence obtained during months of investigation and maintained that the findings raised legitimate questions about oversight and accountability. Swedish government officials have said it is standard practice to discuss aid implementation with partner governments, while refraining from commenting on specific individuals named in media reports.

The matter has renewed debate over transparency, aid governance, and migration-related cooperation between European governments and Somalia, as scrutiny continues from media, legal experts, and civil society observers.

GAROWE ONLINE