Mogadishu, (SONNA) — The Director General of the Immigration and Citizenship Authority (ICA), Mr. Mustafa Duhulow, today held a productive meeting with a delegation from Iraq’s Ministry of Interior, led by the Minister’s Advisor, Lt. General Ziyad Daha Ali, and the Director of International Cooperation at the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, Lt. General Alaa Anshour Manati. The visit took place at HSJ headquarters in Mogadishu and was attended by the Director General of the Ministry of Internal Security of the Federal Government of Somalia, Mr. Yusuf Ali, Somalia’s Ambassador to Iraq, Mr. Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed, and other HSJ officials.
Director General Duhulow briefed the delegation on Somalia’s efforts to modernize and secure its passport system, including recent improvements in application procedures, implementation of the PISCES system, and cooperation agreements with Interpol aimed at enhancing border and travel security. He also shared updates on recent high-level engagements with Norway, Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom, which are expected to contribute to strengthening HSJ’s infrastructure.
Highlighting the deep historical ties between Somalia and Iraq, Duhulow expressed the readiness of both countries’ immigration authorities to collaborate on knowledge-sharing, data exchange, and the development of modern technological infrastructure. He also requested Iraq’s support in training HSJ officers and establishing a dedicated training institute.
The Iraqi delegation expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome and extended an official invitation for Director General Duhulow to visit Iraq. They pledged to work closely with HSJ on various capacity-building programs related to passports, entry permits, and migration, and to assist in training HSJ personnel.
During the visit, the delegation toured HSJ’s document inspection and verification offices, the printing department, and the electronic visa (E-visa) unit.
