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These were the stark words spoken by former President Donald Trump when defending his controversial travel ban in 2017 — a ban that placed Somalia among a list of countries deemed too unstable or poorly governed to safely manage the movement of their citizens abroad.
At the time, many dismissed the statement as exaggerated, even offensive. But now, years later, an embarrassing and dangerous scandal involving Somali officials at an international summit in Switzerland has resurrected the very concerns Trump raised. And this time, the facts speak louder than rhetoric.
A Delegation or a Smuggling Ring?
In early June 2025, a Somali delegation was sent to represent the country at the 113th session of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland. The group was meant to participate in high-level discussions about labor rights, development, and international cooperation. On paper, this was a routine diplomatic mission.
But what happened instead was a textbook example of how weak institutions and rampant corruption have turned Somalia’s diplomatic efforts into international security risks.
Of the 23 delegates originally listed, only 10 actually showed up for the conference. The remaining 13 members vanished — not due to illness or scheduling conflicts — but as part of a deliberate and premeditated escape into Switzerland and other parts of Europe.
These individuals allegedly paid thousands of dollars each to secure their Swiss visas. According to credible sources, the money was funneled to — and divided by — Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Yusuf Mohamed Adan and Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary-General of the Federation of Somali Trade Unions. What was sold to the world as an official government delegation was, in truth, a paid migration pipeline disguised under the Somali flag.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
Some may be tempted to laugh off the incident as just another story from a country long plagued by instability. But to do so would be dangerously naive. This is not merely a case of poor planning or bureaucratic incompetence — it’s state-enabled trafficking.
And the implications go far beyond Switzerland or even Europe.
When government officials abuse their power to smuggle people abroad under the cover of diplomatic missions, they compromise international security. They erode trust between nations. And they open the door for much darker forces — including terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab — to exploit the very same routes, documents, and diplomatic privileges.
This is where the scandal moves from corruption to national security emergency.
If diplomatic passports, official delegation slots, and travel visas can be bought with bribes, then what is to stop Al-Shabaab operatives or sympathizers from purchasing their way into Europe? The group has a well-documented history of infiltration — not just through backdoor smuggling routes, but through institutional compromise. These aren’t just hypotheticals; they are strategic concerns for intelligence agencies across Europe and the U.S.
Recent investigations have revealed alarming levels of visa fraud linked to Somali civil servants and government officials. According to a 2024 report by the Somaliland Chronicle, of 700 U.S. visas issued to Somali civil servants, an astounding 600 resulted in overstays, signaling systemic abuse of the visa system. Such staggering figures not only expose rampant corruption but also raise profound security concerns.
The fraudulent visa process reportedly costs between $20,000 to $25,000 per visa, suggesting a lucrative black market operation potentially funneling millions of dollars into corrupt Somali officials’ pockets. This financial exploitation adds another layer of complexity to the problem, where political manipulation benefits certain factions within the Somali government, undermining genuine governance.
Let’s be clear: it only takes one bad actor to slip through a corrupt channel like this to cause irreparable damage. And in Somalia, where terrorist networks often overlap with political and business interests, the lines are dangerously blurred. This is why nations enact travel bans. This is why vetting is not just about documentation — it’s about trust. And Somalia’s institutions, by all accounts, have proven untrustworthy.
When travel visas become tools for criminal enrichment or terrorist movement, the international community has no choice but to respond with caution — and, in some cases, with restriction.
Trump’s Travel Ban: Revisited in Light of Reality
When President Trump imposed the travel ban on Somalia, he was criticized for targeting a vulnerable population. And indeed, the vast majority of Somalis — honest, hardworking people — should not be held accountable for the actions of corrupt elites.
But Trump’s rationale was not built solely on race, religion, or prejudice. It was rooted in national security concerns — concerns that were mocked at the time but now seem prescient.
When Trump said Somalia had “no government, no police, no security, no safety — just anarchy,” he wasn’t inventing a narrative. He was summarizing a reality that, unfortunately, keeps proving itself again and again. If a delegation to a respected international summit can be turned into a human trafficking scheme, what further proof do we need that Somalia is not in control of its own borders, identity systems, or diplomatic processes?
The Real Victims: The Somali People and International Trust
It’s important to remember who suffers most from these scandals. Not just the Western countries who must adjust their immigration policies, but the ordinary Somali citizens whose chances at legitimate travel, study, or asylum are diminished by the criminality of their own government.
The more Somalia’s name is associated with corruption, fraud, and instability, the more doors will be closed to genuine Somali applicants. And the more foreign governments will be justified in treating Somalia not as a partner — but as a risk.
Conclusion: When Leadership Sells Its People
What happened in Geneva is not a diplomatic mishap — it’s a national embarrassment and a security wake-up call. The fact that passports and visas can be bought through Somali government channels shows a system in collapse. It reveals a leadership class not interested in representing its people, but in selling them — one visa at a time.
Trump’s words, once dismissed as harsh or simplistic, now carry the weight of evidence. Whether or not one agrees with his politics, the reality is clear: Somalia’s internal failures do not stay internal. They travel. They migrate. And they destabilize.
Until Somalia can prove it has functioning institutions, enforce accountability, and protect the integrity of its diplomatic processes, no country should be blamed for taking precautions.
In this case, Trump was right.
About the Author
Hussein Egeh is a strategic communications and mass media specialist living in Hargeisa Somaliland.
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions or perspectives of Somaliland Chronicle and its staff.
Notice: This article by Somaliland Chronicle is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International License. Under this license, reprints and non-commercial distribution of this work are permitted, provided proper attribution is given.
