Airlines would not be permitted to operate in Somali airspace if they do not abide by the directive by August 24, according to a warning from the Somali Civil Aviation Authority.
After Somalia gave Flydubai and Ethiopian Airlines a deadline to stop referring to the “unrecognised breakaway region” when booking flights, the airlines took “Somaliland” off their websites.
Ethiopian Airlines and Flydubai received a warning on Wednesday from the Somali government’s Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), stating that they would lose their ability to fly across Somalia’s airspace if they did not comply with the regulation by August 24, 2024.
The government of Somalia views the usage of the term “Somaliland” to describe the breakaway area in the country’s north as an infringement on its sovereignty and a threat to its territorial integrity.
Despite the region’s 1991 declaration of independence, it is still not acknowledged globally.
The government of Somalia has reaffirmed that there isn’t a state or any organization with that name that is recognized by law, and that all foreign aircraft that land there are required to respect the nation’s borders.
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) declared, “If they do not comply with this directive by August 24, 2024, their services in Somali airspace will be immediately suspended.”
Upon examining the Ethiopian Airlines website, TRT World noticed that the mention of Somaliland for the Hergesia airport—which lies within the territory that the so-called Somaliland has claimed—had been deleted.
Ethiopia-Somalia tensions
SCAA said in a statement that it has discussed its concerns over sovereignty issues with Ethiopian Airlines.
“It has come to our attention that, instead of addressing the sovereignty issues outlined in our letter, Ethiopian Airlines has made adjustments to its flight operations by removing references to Somali destinations and retaining only airport codes,” the statement continued.
Following an agreement between Ethiopia and the breakaway territory of Somaliland that gave Addis Ababa access to a port in Somaliland, Somalia and Ethiopia have been at odds. Ethiopia would acknowledge Somaliland as an independent state in exchange.
Turkey has served as a mediator between the nations of East Africa. To ease the tensions, Ankara has presented a two-pronged framework settlement plan.
