Shifting responsibility abroad is short-sighted and does not solve the underlying problems that force people to leave their homes.
Proposal moving asylum applications outside the EU is the latest twist in Finland's tightening grip on immigration. It does not seem to be enough that the countries of the global south take important raw materials for the western countries and use cheap labor, now they are wanted to take care of Europe's immigration policy duties as well.
Quick wins won't help in the long run. Shifting responsibility abroad is short-sighted and does not solve the underlying problems that force people to leave their homes. Finland cannot escape global challenges such as the climate crisis, conflicts and war, no matter how small it shrinks.
The effect of the proposal on immigration would be vanishingly small in any case. In 2023, approximately 4,600 new asylum seekers arrived in Finland, when more than 20,000 work-related applications were submitted and more than 19,000 refugees from the war in Ukraine applied for temporary protection. The government's proposal implies that it does not see all people and refugees as equal.
Britain has tried to move the asylum search out of its own territory and has already paid Rwanda 280 million euros of British taxpayers' money in the name of cooperation. However, not a single asylum seeker has yet been sent to Rwanda to await a decision. So is it a matter of addressing a genuine problem or of collecting loose points at the expense of a marginalized group?
The world's power relations are in constant motion, and the countries of the global south are rising to an even more significant position in international politics and economics. It is important for Finland to recognize this dynamic and promote equal and constructive cooperation that is not based on playing with people's destinies.
We agree with the message of other non-governmental organizations and demand that Finland pursues a fair and humane asylum policy in the future, respecting human rights treaties.
Aicha Manai
Maiju Mitrunen
Startup Refugees
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