Somalia and Somaliland Clash Over Visas and Airspace Control
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has issued a formal directive to flydubai and Ethiopian Airlines, warning the carriers against allowing passengers traveling to Hargeisa, the capital of self-governing Somaliland, to board without Somali e-visas.
The regulator cautioned that continued violations could result in financial penalties, flight bans to Hargeisa, or even a review of the airlines’ authorizations to operate within Somali airspace. The dispute stems from Somalia’s introduction of a national e-visa system on September 1, 2025, which has not been adopted by Somaliland. The breakaway region, self-governed since the early 1990s, maintains its own visa-on-arrival policy and operates independently of Mogadishu’s authority.
In response, Somaliland’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Development announced that all air operators — including scheduled, non-scheduled, and general aviation flights — must now obtain prior authorization to enter its airspace.
Although Somalia’s airspace is officially managed by the Mogadishu Flight Information Region (FIR) under the SCAA, in practice, the two authorities share control. Airspace over Somaliland is effectively managed by the Hargeisa-based Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of Somaliland.
A fragile power-sharing agreement between the two regulators collapsed in 2024, intensifying tensions. The latest clash follows previous disputes, including Mogadishu’s directive last year requiring airlines such as flydubai and Ethiopian Airlines to list Hargeisa as a city within Somalia in their booking systems.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com