MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s government has warned international airlines against flying passengers to Somaliland without obtaining an e-visa issued by the federal authorities in Mogadishu, threatening fines and potential bans for those who fail to comply.
In a statement on Sunday, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) said it had received reports that Flydubai, the Emirati carrier, transported passengers to airports in Somaliland who did not secure the required e-visas through Somalia’s official online system.
The warning follows reports that Flydubai has joined Ethiopian Airlines in adhering to an order from Somaliland authorities allowing passengers to obtain visas on arrival at Hargeisa’s Egal International Airport. Somaliland had earlier cautioned that airlines refusing to comply with its visa policy could be barred from operating in the region.
Somalia’s federal government said any airline bypassing its visa system was violating international aviation regulations. It described the move as unacceptable and reiterated that passengers travelling to any part of Somalia, including Somaliland, must obtain federal e-visas before departure.
The dispute highlights the complex realities of air travel to Somaliland, a self-governing region in northern Somalia that has operated with its own government, military, and currency for more than three decades but remains internationally unrecognised.
The standoff has caused confusion among travellers and airlines, which face conflicting directives from Somaliland’s de facto authorities and Somalia’s internationally recognised federal government. While Mogadishu controls the country’s airspace and oversees civil aviation, it exercises no administrative power within Somaliland’s borders.
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