President Abdirahman Irro inaugurates upgraded aviation systems, rejects Somalia’s e-Visa policy, and asserts Somaliland’s “non-negotiable” sovereignty over its airspace
HARGEISA, Somaliland – Somaliland President Abdirahman Irro has declared full sovereignty over Somaliland’s airspace, rejecting Somalia’s e-Visa policy and calling on ICAO, IATA, and the UN to recognize Somaliland’s independent aviation authority.
A New Era in Somaliland’s Aviation Sovereignty
Somaliland’s government has drawn a clear red line over its skies. President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro on Saturday announced that Somaliland will exercise full and independent control of its airspace, rejecting Somalia’s e-Visa regime and ordering all foreign and domestic aircraft to obtain flight clearance directly from Hargeisa beginning November 10, 2025.
The declaration came during an official working visit by President Irro to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Development in Hargeisa, where he inaugurated newly completed aviation infrastructure at Egal International Airport and chaired a National Summit on Airspace Management and Sovereignty.
“The airspace of the Republic of Somaliland is a matter of national dignity, sovereign obligation, and strategic priority,” President Irro said. “Our nation will neither compromise nor delegate the guardianship of its skies.”
Touring the Nerve Center of Somaliland’s Airspace
At the ministry headquarters, President Irro was received by Minister Fu’ad Ahmed Nuh and senior officials, who briefed him on the progress of aviation modernization programs, air safety upgrades, and infrastructure expansion across the country’s airports.
The President toured the newly upgraded Flight Information Centre (FIC) — a state-of-the-art control facility that now enables Somaliland to independently monitor and direct all aircraft operating within its upper airspace.
“We have built the capacity to control and monitor every flight that passes through Somaliland’s skies,” said Minister Fu’ad. “This is not just about sovereignty — it’s about safety, professionalism, and earning international confidence.”
According to the ministry, the FIC is now equipped with advanced radar, communications, and surveillance technologies compatible with international aviation standards.
“Somaliland will never sit idle while others attempt to control or administer our skies. Airspace sovereignty is a national red line and the very emblem of our independence.”
— President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro
National Airspace Summit: A Strategic Gathering
Immediately after the inspection, President Irro convened a closed-door high-level coordination meeting with key cabinet members — including the Ministers of Civil Aviation, Interior, Defense, and the Presidency, along with the President’s Legal Adviser.
The session focused on Somaliland’s airspace sovereignty, aviation safety, and response to Somalia’s newly introduced e-Visa system, which Hargeisa views as a direct infringement on its territorial authority.
“This is about asserting our sovereign rights,” one senior official said after the meeting. “Somalia cannot administer what it does not control.”
The President appointed a National Ministerial Committee on Airspace Administration — comprising the Ministers of Civil Aviation, Defense, Interior and Security, the Presidency, and the President’s Legal Adviser — tasked with coordinating technical, legal, and diplomatic oversight of Somaliland’s skies.
“Somaliland will never sit idle while others attempt to control or administer our skies,” President Irro said during the session. “Airspace sovereignty is a national red line and the very emblem of our independence.”
Four-Point National Declaration: “Our Skies, Our Rules”
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Presidency released a powerful communiqué outlining a Four-Point Policy on Airspace and E-Visa Sovereignty, marking one of the strongest assertions of Somaliland’s independence since 1991.
1. Exclusive Sovereignty
Somaliland reaffirmed its “full and exclusive sovereignty” over its land, sea, and airspace. All flights must obtain prior authorization solely from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Development.
2. Rejection of Somalia’s e-Visa
The government declared Somalia’s new digital e-Visa “legally null and void” in Somaliland territory.
“Somaliland operates its own independent immigration and visa system,” the statement read.
Travelers can continue to obtain visas on arrival at Egal International Airport in Hargeisa and Berbera International Airport.
3. Mandatory Airspace Clearance
Starting November 10, 2025, all aircraft using Somaliland’s airspace — whether civilian, charter, or commercial — must hold a valid overflight permit issued by the Ministry. Violators, the government warned, would face “enforcement measures under national and international aviation law.”
4. International Appeal
The government issued an urgent call to ICAO, IATA, and the United Nations, urging them to recognize Somaliland’s sovereignty and address “the destabilizing implications of Somalia’s unlawful airspace claims.”
“Somalia’s politicization of airspace management endangers every civilian and commercial flight operating in the region,” the statement added.
Challenge to Mogadishu’s Air Control Claims
Somaliland’s announcement directly challenges the Federal Government of Somalia, which has long claimed authority over the unified Somali airspace through agreements with ICAO and IATA.
Officials in Hargeisa accused Mogadishu of “weaponizing civil aviation” by using its newly launched e-Visa system to extend administrative control into Somaliland’s air domain.
“Somalia’s e-Visa is illegal, unenforceable, and politically motivated,” the government statement said. “It is an attempt to digitally erase Somaliland’s sovereignty.”
Hargeisa also called on IATA to “correct the error” in its Timatic travel database — which still lists Somaliland airports under Somalia — arguing that the outdated classification causes unnecessary confusion for airlines and passengers.
International Repercussions and Diplomatic Outreach
Diplomatic observers say the declaration could heighten tensions in the Horn of Africa’s airspace management — a region already fraught with competing jurisdictions and fragile political boundaries.
A senior Western diplomat based in Nairobi told The Saxafi Media that Somaliland’s move was “inevitable,” given the ongoing disputes over revenue sharing and air traffic control between Hargeisa and Mogadishu.
“Somaliland’s case is both technical and political,” the diplomat said. “Technically, they have the infrastructure. Politically, they want recognition.”
Somaliland’s Foreign Ministry is expected to deliver formal communications this week to ICAO, IATA, and the United Nations, outlining its legal position and requesting international recognition of its airspace management authority.
Upgrading Infrastructure, Asserting Identity
The Egal International Airport—named after Somaliland’s first post-independence president, Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal—has undergone extensive modernization over the past year, including new terminals, radar facilities, and passenger amenities.
President Irro praised the project as a “symbol of Somaliland’s progress and self-reliance.”
“Civil aviation is not just about transport,” he said. “It is the lifeline that connects our people, our economy, and our identity as a nation.”
“Safeguarding our skies is both a constitutional duty and a national symbol. We will manage our airspace with professionalism, safety, and pride — just as any sovereign nation must.”
— President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro
“A Matter of National Dignity”
In his closing remarks, President Irro reaffirmed that aviation independence is central to Somaliland’s statehood and identity.
“Safeguarding our skies is both a constitutional duty and a national symbol,” he declared. “We will manage our airspace with professionalism, safety, and pride — just as any sovereign nation must.”
The government’s declaration comes amid mounting international attention to airspace management in the Horn of Africa, where overlapping claims and fragmented control have long complicated civil aviation coordination.
Diplomatic sources say Somaliland’s latest measures could prompt further negotiations — or tensions — with the Federal Government of Somalia, which continues to assert control over all Somali airspace through agreements with international aviation bodies.
A Bold Step in Somaliland’s Quest for Recognition
Analysts say the airspace declaration adds a new dimension to Somaliland’s decades-long push for international recognition — shifting the narrative from political self-determination to technical and operational sovereignty.
“By asserting control over aviation, Somaliland is demonstrating state functionality,” said Dr. Abdullahi Warsame, a regional security analyst. “That’s a key benchmark for recognition — the ability to control borders, manage safety, and provide services.”
The move also places ICAO and IATA in a diplomatic bind, forcing global aviation regulators to navigate between Somaliland’s de facto autonomy and Somalia’s internationally recognized status.
A Nation Determined to Control Its Skies
For Somaliland, the announcement is more than a policy shift — it’s a reaffirmation of independence. Since restoring its sovereignty in 1991, the self-governing nation has maintained peace, held democratic elections, and built functioning institutions, even without international recognition.
For now, however, Hargeisa’s message is unambiguous.
“Somaliland’s skies belong to Somaliland,” said Presidential Spokesman Hussein Adan Egeh (Deyr). “That is a truth we are ready to defend — in the air and on the ground.”
As the November 10 deadline approaches, airlines flying over the Horn of Africa are expected to face new regulatory realities. Whether the world’s aviation authorities recognize Hargeisa’s control remains to be seen — but in the eyes of its government and people, Somaliland’s sovereignty now reaches the clouds.
