Mogadishu (WDN)- In a stunning display of corruption and deception, more than half of a Somali government delegation sent to Switzerland for a high-level international labor summit have reportedly vanished — in what appears to be a carefully orchestrated human smuggling operation masked as a diplomatic mission.

The 23-member delegation, led by Somalia’s Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Yusuf Mohamed Adan, was officially in Geneva to attend the 113th International Labour Conference organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO). However, only 10 delegates is said to have shown up for the opening sessions. The remaining 13 disappeared into thin air — and, according to sources, into Europe.

Multiple insider accounts allege that each of the missing individuals paid thousands of dollars — reportedly ranging into the tens of thousands — to obtain official Swiss visas under the pretense of representing Somalia. These fees were allegedly funneled through senior officials, including Minister Yusuf Mohamed Adan and Omar Farooq Osman, Secretary General of the Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU), both of whom are now at the center of a growing scandal.

The absconders are believed to have used the Geneva conference as a gateway to Europe, abandoning their official roles to seek asylum or resettle in European countries. The scale of the exodus — more than half the delegation — has stunned observers and raised fresh concerns over the abuse of diplomatic privileges for illicit migration.

This incident has not only embarrassed the Somali government on the global stage but also exposed deep-rooted corruption within its official institutions. Critics are now demanding answers: How were these individuals vetted? Who authorized their participation? And why has the government remained silent in the face of such blatant misconduct?

So far, no official statement has been issued by the Ministry of Labour or Somalia’s foreign mission in Switzerland, further fueling suspicion that this was no accident — but a well-oiled scheme involving complicit officials.

As European authorities begin inquiries and the ILO reviews the integrity of member state delegations, Somalia’s credibility in future international forums may be on the line. What was meant to be a platform for national representation has turned into a symbol of state-sanctioned escape.

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