Skip to Content

Finnish Immigration Service conducted a successful fact-finding mission to Lebanon and Syria in April

Publication date 3.5.2018 10.32
Press release

During a fact-finding mission in April, two researchers from the Finnish Immigration Service’s Country Information Service visited Beirut and Damascus.

During the mission, the researchers obtained information on the situation in Syria and the circumstances of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon. In addition, the purpose of the mission was to strengthen the local contact and cooperation network in use at the County Information Service.

Information was gathered by interviewing international and local players, such as international humanitarian organisations, experts on the situation in Syria and local groups working among the Syrian refugees. The Finnish embassy in Beirut participated in arranging the visit.

When ready, a report on the fact-finding mission will be posted on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service.

Prior to this mission, the last fact-finding mission concerning Syria took place in 2016, when researchers from the Country Information Service visited Beirut.

Aim to create a routine for visiting asylum seekers’ countries of origin

Earlier this year, the researcher at the Country Information Service conducted a fact-finding mission to Somalia and Afghanistan.

The Finnish Immigration Service aims to make fact-finding missions routine, so that its experts can visit the countries more often.

The fact-finding missions are part of the Country Information Service’s FAKTA project at the Finnish Immigration Service, which has received EU funding from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).

The Country Information Service of the Finnish Immigration Service produces country of origin information (COI) in particular about the countries from which asylum seekers, quota refugees and immigrants come to Finland. Researchers from the Country Information Service do not participate in the decision-making process regarding residence permits, or in the creation of country guidelines.

The country of origin information that is used in support of decision-making is not solely based on fact-finding missions, but is gathered from several different sources and is continuously updated. Such sources are for example the UN refugee agency UNHCR, international and local human rights organisations, non-governmental organisations, research institutes, and researchers from other immigration services.

Further information for the media

  • General information on the FAKTA project: Satu Ruotsalainen, Project Manager,
    e-mail: firstname.lastname@migri.fi, tel. +358 295 430 431
  • Further details on country information concerning Syria: Mika Niskanen, Researcher,
    e-mail: firstname.lastname@migri.fi, tel. +358 295 430 431