STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Sweden has denied that redirected aid funds to Somalia were channelled to Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s office, after Swedish media revealed a secret migration-for-aid deal that triggered a months-long diplomatic row between Stockholm and Mogadishu.

Development Minister Benjamin Dousa (M) insisted that Swedish aid had been safeguarded and delivered through the United Nations, not directly to Somali politicians.

“No money has gone to the prime minister’s office – it has never been on the table to support politicians directly,” Dousa told SVT’s Morgonstudion on Friday. “Because of the risk of corruption, we never give direct support to politicians or the state. If money were misused, we would immediately pull the brake.”

Secret migration-for-aid deal

The denial followed revelations by Swedish Radio’s Ekot that Sweden struck a confidential agreement with Somalia in December 2023. According to the investigation, Sweden promised to transfer 100 million kronor (about $9 million) from its aid budget to a Somali-Italian trust fund in exchange for Mogadishu’s acceptance of deported Somali nationals from Sweden, including convicted criminals who had refused to leave voluntarily.

An internal email from Ambassador Joachim Waern, titled “Agreement reached,” informed Swedish officials that he had secured the deal with Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre.

The arrangement immediately drew opposition within Sweden’s International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Officials warned that placing the money in the Somali-Italian fund would give Barre’s office disproportionate control over the resources.

“It’s basically the prime minister’s fund,” said Omar Mahmood, a Somalia analyst at the International Crisis Group, who told Ekot the case highlighted Mogadishu’s attempts to gain direct authority over aid flows.

When Sweden attempted to make the transfer, the World Bank blocked part of the payment. In response, Somali officials suspended deportations, accusing Stockholm of failing to honour its side of the bargain.

The dispute escalated in early 2024 when Somalia expelled Sweden’s head of aid in Mogadishu, Anna Saleem Högberg, declaring her persona non grata. Somali sources told Ekot she was perceived as obstructing the release of the funds.

The standoff ended in May 2024, when Stockholm amended Sida’s appropriation directive, authorising the release of the remaining 60 million kronor. Instead of going to the Somali-Italian fund, the money was channelled through projects carried out under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) but involving the prime minister’s office. Deportations from Sweden to Somalia subsequently resumed.

Critics say the revised arrangement still increased Barre’s influence. According to SVT, about 32 million kronor was allocated to a joint project between his office and UNDP, which experts have described as a “high-risk project.”

Dousa defended the arrangement, stressing that Swedish funds remained under UN management. “When the fund builds schools or health clinics in Somalia, of course, it engages with the prime minister’s office and other ministries. In that sense, it is entirely true,” he said.

He added that Sweden had imposed its own conditions for aid and conducted close dialogue with Mogadishu through Sida and the Swedish embassy. “We have communicated our interests, and they have communicated theirs,” he said.

Antisemitism controversy

The aid dispute has resurfaced alongside fresh scrutiny of Somali leadership. On Thursday, Swedish broadcaster TV4 reported that Barre praised Hamas following its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and, in remarks translated by SVT, referred to Jews as “descendants of apes and pigs.”

Sweden has introduced new guidelines barring aid from reaching antisemitic actors. Dousa described Barre’s comments as “horrific and appalling” but said they did not alter Sweden’s position.

“No money goes to him,” he said. “And if we could not provide aid to countries where there are extreme views or corruption, then we could hardly provide aid at all.”

Somalia, a fragile nation in the Horn of Africa, is rebuilding after decades of conflict and is one of the largest recipients of international aid. The government of Hamza Abdi Barre, appointed in 2022 by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has sought greater control over external assistance, arguing that Somali institutions must oversee development priorities.

Donors, however, have long expressed concerns about corruption and weak governance. Aid experts note that Somalia consistently ranks among the most challenging environments for development work, with widespread poverty, food insecurity, and recurring droughts leading to a heavy dependence on foreign support.

Sweden has been a significant donor to Somalia, contributing to humanitarian relief, governance reforms, and security sector support. The latest revelations underline the political sensitivities of linking aid to migration agreements, a practice increasingly used by European governments facing domestic pressure to curb irregular migration.