First fact-finding mission by Finnish Immigration Service researchers goes to Iraq

Researchers of the Finnish Immigration Service’s Country Information Service visited Baghdad, Iraq, on a fact-finding mission.

Researchers of the Finnish Immigration Service’s Country Information Service visited Baghdad, Iraq, on a fact-finding mission.

During their journey, the researchers met with national and international organisations and non-governmental organisations, authorities and other researchers, among others. 　The purpose of fact-finding missions is to create and maintain a network of contacts that can be used to monitor the security situation in Iraq.

Information about the general conditions in the country and the security situations of various areas was also gathered during these fact-finding missions.

The researchers of the Country Information Service are tasked with generating country of origin information (COI), especially on countries that send asylum seekers, quota refugees and other immigrants to Finland. In recent years, Iraq has been the country of origin sending the largest number of asylum seekers to Finland. Last year, Iraqis submitted 1,556 asylum applications.

The next fact-finding missions are heading to Afghanistan and Syria

Iraq was the destination of the first fact-finding mission of Finnish Immigration Service researchers. More fact-finding missions are planned this year at least to Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia and Russia.

The fact-finding mission to Iraq is part of the FAKTA project, which has received funding from the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). The Finnish Immigration Service has carried out fact-finding missions in connection with the project regularly during 2017 and 2018. The last fact-finding mission to Iraq was conducted in 2017.

The first report on the findings of the fact-finding mission to Iraq will be published on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service in May. A separate press release will be issued when the report is published.

Information on the situation in the countries based on research for decision-making

• The Country Information Service collects country of origin information (COI), which is used to support decision-making in connection with applications for international protection in particular.
• In addition to the fact-finding missions, many other methods are used to find information on the situation in the countries. Other sources include the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), research institutions, and the country information services of other countries.
• Up-to-date country information is always used in the decision-making of the Finnish Immigration Service. The researchers do not participate in decision-making or drawing up country-based policies.
• You can learn more about country information on our website via the data bank.

Further information for the media

Project Manager Satu Ruotsalainen, tel. +358 295 430 431, email: firstname.lastname@migri.fi

Researcher Peter Sandelin, tel. +358 295 430 431, email: firstname.lastname@migri.fi