A UK lawmaker has urged scrutiny of Somalia’s e-visa system after concerns from Somalilanders over privacy and safety, prompting a cautious response from the Foreign Office
LONDON — Concerns over privacy, security and mobility for Somaliland travelers surfaced in the UK Parliament this week, after a Labour lawmaker recounted the experiences of a constituent affected by conflict and wary of Somalia’s new digital visa system.
Speaking during a Foreign Office questions session in the House of Commons, Gill Furniss described meeting “a young woman from Somaliland” who had lost 14 members of her family to violence in recent years — a personal toll that underscores broader instability in the region.
Furniss told lawmakers that the woman, along with other Somaliland campaigners, is “understandably reticent to use the new e-visa system introduced by the Somalian Government due to fears about privacy and data protection.”
She pressed ministers on whether those concerns would be raised directly with Federal Government of Somalia to ensure that Somalilanders could “travel to their country without fear.”
A Measured Government Response
Responding on behalf of the government, Chris Elmore, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, offered condolences and confirmed that the issue had been raised — but signaled no immediate escalation.
“The British embassy in Mogadishu has raised e-visas with the Federal Government of Somalia,” Elmore said, adding that the government would “provide further updates to travel advice in due course, as necessary.”
He reiterated the UK’s broader position, emphasizing continued calls for “peaceful talks to bring about a sustainable peace in Somalia.”
Personal Testimony Meets Policy Ambiguity
The exchange, recorded in Hansard on April 21, reflects a recurring tension in British foreign policy: how to respond to specific humanitarian and governance concerns without recalibrating broader diplomatic priorities.
Furniss’s intervention grounded the issue in human terms — loss, displacement and mistrust of state systems — while the government’s reply remained within the bounds of routine diplomatic engagement.
Analysts say the language used by ministers suggests the matter is being handled at a technical level rather than treated as a strategic concern.
“The response indicates this is being managed as a minor bilateral issue,” one observer noted. “Handled at embassy level, with flexibility built in through phrases like ‘as necessary,’ which allow the government to avoid committing to concrete action.”
Data Protection and Trust Deficit
At the core of the concern is trust — or the lack of it.
For many Somalilanders, the requirement to submit personal data through a centralized system administered by authorities in Somalia raises fears about how that data might be stored, accessed or used.
Those concerns are amplified by the absence of formal political recognition for Somaliland, leaving its citizens in a legal and administrative gray zone when interacting with Somali institutions.
Campaigners argue that without credible safeguards, digital systems intended to streamline travel risk becoming barriers instead.
Pressure for Stronger Action
The parliamentary exchange has also prompted calls for a more assertive diplomatic posture from London.
Critics argue that quiet engagement, while useful in some contexts, may be insufficient when dealing with issues that touch on personal security and civil liberties.
“If Somaliland is serious about protecting the data, dignity and mobility of its citizens, it must escalate this diplomatically,” one analyst said. “Partners like the UK need to move beyond routine assurances to meaningful action.”
A Broader Policy Question
The episode highlights a wider challenge facing policymakers: how to address the practical implications of Somaliland’s unrecognized status in areas such as travel, documentation and digital governance.
For now, the UK government’s position remains cautious — acknowledging the issue, engaging through diplomatic channels, but stopping short of any immediate policy shift.
Whether that approach will satisfy those affected on the ground remains an open question.
