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Reports on the fact-finding mission to Iraq published

Publication date 28.6.2019 9.30
Press release

Researchers at the Country Information Service of the Finnish Immigration Service visited Baghdad on a fact-finding mission in February 2019. In Baghdad, the researchers met with representatives of national and international organisations and non-governmental organisations, authorities and other researchers. The purpose of the fact-finding mission was to gather information about the general conditions in the country as well as the security situation in different regions of the country. Another objective was to strengthen the researchers’ local contact and cooperation network.

Three reports have been compiled on the basis of interviews conducted during the fact-finding mission:

  • The first report deals with internally displaced persons returning to their home regions, their identity documents, the return processes and why they have not been able to return to certain regions.
  • The second report deals with control over regions and protection by the authorities. The report discusses the ISIS conflict, the security situation and the status of the different security forces especially in regions liberated from ISIS, including the provinces of Nineveh, Saladin, Kirkuk, Diyala, Al Anbar and Baghdad as well as certain regions of southern Iraq.
  • The third report is an overview of mental health problems and the mental health services available in the public sector in Iraq.

The reports have been published in Finnish on our website.

The fact-finding mission to Iraq was part of the FAKTA project, which has received EU funding from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). As part of the project, the Finnish Immigration Service has been conducting regular fact-finding missions as of 2017. The previous fact-finding mission to Iraq took place in 2017.

Research-based information on the situation in countries to support decision-making

  • The Country Information Service of the Finnish Immigration Service produces information in particular about the countries from which asylum seekers, quota refugees and other immigrants come to Finland.
  • Besides fact-finding missions, information about countries is acquired in many other ways. Our sources include for instance the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), research institutions, and the country information services of other countries.
  • The Finnish Immigration Service always uses up-to-date country information when making decisions. The researchers at the Country Information Service do not participate in the decision-making process or in the establishment of country guidelines.
  • More information about our country information can be found in the information bank on our website (for the time being only in Finnish).

Further information for the media

Country information concerning Iraq:

  • Peter Sandelin, Researcher, email: firstname.lastname@migri.fi, tel. 0295 433 037
  • Elina Mäntylä, Researcher, email: firstname.lastname@migri.fi

Press release