Somaliland President Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro
By: Mohamed Duale
HARGEISA, Nov 8 (Horn Diplomat) — The government of Somaliland on Saturday reaffirmed its sovereignty over its airspace and rejected Somalia’s newly introduced electronic visa system as unlawful, in the latest sign of rising tensions between the two sides.
The announcement followed a cabinet meeting chaired by President Dr.Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Development in Hargeisa, which focused on airspace management and travel regulations.
“Somaliland retains full authority over its airspace, land and maritime boundaries,” the government said in a statement. “Any use of the country’s airspace requires authorization from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in accordance with national and international aviation laws.”
The statement added that Somalia’s new e-Visa system “does not apply” to Somaliland and that travelers can only enter through its own visa-on-arrival process at Egal International Airport in Hargeisa and Berbera International Airport.
Starting November 10, all aircraft using Somaliland’s airspace must obtain clearance from its aviation ministry. Any aircraft without such approval “will not be permitted to transit,” the statement said.
Somaliland also appealed to international aviation bodies including ICAO, IATA, and the United Nations, urging them to ensure neutrality in airspace administration and to address what it described as “politicization” of air control by Somalia.
“The steps taken by Somalia have turned airspace management into a political weapon,” the statement warned, calling it a security risk to civilian and commercial flights in the region Horn of Africa.
Somaliland, which declared the restoration of its statehood from Somalia in 1991, runs its own government, military, and currency, and maintains effective control over its territory. Widely regarded as one of the most stable and democratic areas in the Horn of Africa, Somaliland continues to seek international recognition as an independent state.
