Somalis in Europe

Abstract

Somalis have a long history in Europe; the first Somalis were seamen who arrived in the UK working on British ships at the beginning of the 20th century. Throughout different waves of migrations directly related to European colonial history, Somalis have settled down in various cities throughout Europe. More recently, their mobility has been noted between Northern European cities. Somalis have experienced an increasingly hostile environment in the last twenty years, which reflects changing and stricter migration laws in different European countries. This report begins by narrating some of the most salient events that caused Somali migration to Europe. The central part of the report presents the integration policies of six European countries (Finland, the UK, Italy, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands), where the largest Somali-born populations reside. After a comparative discussion of these integration policies, the report concludes by suggesting a need for further analyses of integration policies that would include Somalis’ transnational engagements in Somalia.