Hargeisa (Somalia Today) — Somaliland’s government on Saturday mandated new flight permits for all aircraft entering “its skies,” escalating the long-running Somaliland airspace dispute with Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu.
The move, announced after President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro) chaired a high-level summit, directly challenges a new federal e-visa system imposed by Mogadishu.
Effective November 10, 2025, the rules put international airlines in a bind. Carriers now face competing orders from Hargeisa and Mogadishu over who controls aviation in the region.
Aviation sovereignty row
During an official visit to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, President Irro toured the upgraded Flight Information Centre at Egal International Airport. He referred to the airspace as “a matter of national dignity.”
He also formed a new ministerial committee that includes the defense and interior chiefs. Its task is to safeguard Somaliland’s airspace.
A communiqué from the presidency declared Somalia’s new e-visa system “legally null and void” within Somaliland’s territory.
“Any flight or aviation activity within Somaliland’s jurisdiction requires prior authorization exclusively from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Development,” the statement said.
Somaliland’s government also appealed to international aviation bodies, including ICAO and IATA, to recognize its concerns. It cited “unlawful and destabilizing implications” that it said “pose credible risks to the safety of civilian aviation.”
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but lacks international recognition. Most countries, as well as the United Nations, still regard it as an autonomous region of Somalia.
Control of the airspace has been a central grievance since 2018, when the UN’s ICAO relocated its management from Nairobi to Mogadishu, a move Hargeisa fiercely contested.
The immediate trigger for the new directives is Mogadishu’s enforcement of a federal e-visa system, which was launched on September 1.
On October 31, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) in Mogadishu issued a warning to international carriers. In a letter reviewed by Somalia Today, it told airlines such as Flydubai to stop boarding passengers bound for Hargeisa without the federal visa.
The SCAA framed the policy as a “border control and national security” measure. It warned that non-compliance could result in “financial penalties,” “suspension of flight operations,” or “a review of the airline’s operating authorizations.”
Flydubai did not immediately respond to a Somalia Today request for comment sent at 14:30 local time.
Dispute grips airlines
Airlines now face clashing requirements. Hargeisa continues to operate its own visa-on-arrival and e-visa systems, viewing the federal mandate as a breach of its claimed sovereignty.
This clash between aviation authorities is the latest fight over who controls the skies above Somaliland.
For years after 1991, ICAO managed the airspace from Nairobi. Somaliland officials accuse Mogadishu of backing away from earlier talks, including an Istanbul proposal for joint management and revenue sharing. Hargeisa claims the federal government never fulfilled the deal.
The dispute has also raised safety concerns. Reports have described rival controllers issuing conflicting instructions to flights.
Somaliland’s ministry states that the new permit is necessary to “ensure safety, security, and regularity of air navigation.” It also aims to “enhance emergency response… and search and rescue (SAR) operations.”
Taken together, the directives move the dispute from a political standoff to an operational clash. Travelers now face added uncertainty, as industry sources say airlines are reviewing check-in procedures to comply with the competing rules.
