HARGEISA – The President of the Republic of Somaliland, His Excellency Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro), today conducted an official working visit to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Development, where he formally commissioned newly completed aviation infrastructure at Egal International Airport and chaired a national-level summit on the administration and protection of Somaliland’s sovereign airspace.
Upon arrival, the President was received by the Minister of Civil Aviation, Hon. Fu’ad Ahmed Nuh, along with senior Ministry officials. The President was briefed extensively on the Ministry’s operations, with particular emphasis on aviation service enhancements, infrastructure development, and institutional progress toward modernizing civil aviation administration across the Republic.
During the visit, the President toured the upgraded Flight Information Centre (FIC); a strategic national asset that has recently been enhanced with advanced navigational and surveillance systems, enabling effective oversight and guidance of aircraft operating in Somaliland’s skies.
The Presidency commended the Ministry’s initiatives in strengthening national air transport infrastructure, elevating aviation safety standards, and reinforcing the institutional architecture required for full and independent airspace governance.
Following the inspection, the President presided over the National High-Level Coordination Meeting on Airspace Management, convening senior cabinet officials to deliberate on matters pertaining to airspace sovereignty, aviation security, Somalia’s unauthorized e-Visa policy, and the modernization of air traffic management systems.
By presidential directive, a ministerial committee; comprising the Ministers of Civil Aviation, Interior & Security, Defense, the Presidency, and the Presidential legal advisor has been tasked with safeguarding policy oversight of Somaliland’s airspace and coordinating its administration.
At the conclusion of the summit, the Presidency issued an official communiqué encapsulating the following resolutions:
1. The Republic of Somaliland unequivocally reaffirms its full and exclusive sovereignty over its land, sea, and airspace. Any flight or aviation activity within Somaliland’s jurisdiction requires prior authorization exclusively from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Development.
2. Somalia’s recently introduced e-Visa system is legally null and void within the territory and airspace of Somaliland. Entry into the Republic through this mechanism is not recognized and is hereby prohibited.
3. Effective 10 November 2025, all aircraft utilizing Somaliland’s airspace are mandated to obtain formal clearance from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
4. The Republic of Somaliland calls upon international aviation authorities and diplomatic partners; including ICAO, IATA, and the United Nations to recognize the unlawful and destabilizing implications of Somalia’s airspace claims, which pose credible risks to the safety of civilian aviation.
In his concluding remarks, President Abdirahman Irro reaffirmed:
“The airspace of the Republic of Somaliland is a matter of national dignity, sovereign obligation, and strategic priority. Our nation will neither compromise nor delegate the guardianship of its skies.”
