Somalia increases pressure on Ethiopia over sovereignty dispute
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority has threatened to suspend all Ethiopian Airlines flights to the country, in a new chapter of the ongoing dispute over the Somaliland region.
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority has threatened to suspend all Ethiopian Airlines flights to the country, according to official media reports on Wednesday, marking a new episode in the ongoing conflict regarding the breakaway region of Somaliland.
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In January, Addis Ababa signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland for access to the sea, under which the separatist region agreed to lease a 20-kilometer stretch of coastline to Ethiopia for 50 years. Ethiopia intends to establish a naval base and commercial port on the coast.
Somaliland’s separatist authorities stated that in exchange for this access to the sea, Ethiopia would become the first country to officially recognize them, something no nation has done since the small region, with a population of 4.5 million, unilaterally declared its independence from Somalia in 1991. Addis Ababa has not confirmed Somaliland’s claims.
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Ethiopian Airlines operates flights to Hargeisa, the largest city in Somaliland, as well as Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, and four major cities in Somali regions.
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority stated that Ethiopian Airlines, owned by the state and the largest airline in Africa, had not responded to previous complaints related to “sovereignty issues” and was in the process of “removing references to Somali destinations, keeping only airport codes.”
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In a letter reported by official media, it was stated that “this action exacerbates the original concerns and undermines Somalia’s sovereignty.”
The Authority indicated that if this issue remains unresolved by August 23rd, “it will have no choice but to suspend all Ethiopian Airlines flights to Somalia from that date.”
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The statement added, “any future recurrence, such as not correctly identifying destinations in Somalia, will result in suspension without prior notice.”
Currently, Ethiopian Airlines’ website lists Hargeisa without mentioning the country it is located in, and searching for Somaliland on the site yields no results, while searching for Mogadishu shows it as being in Somalia.
The statement highlighted that the Authority “has received increasing complaints from Somali citizens about their travel experiences with Ethiopian Airlines.”
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Official media also reported that a similar letter was sent to FlyDubai, the airline owned by the UAE government.
The letter demanded that the airline resolve the “serious violations” and ensure “accurate identification of destinations” in Somalia in its booking and ticketing services.
Currently, FlyDubai’s website indicates that Hargeisa is located in Somaliland. FlyDubai had suspended its flights to Mogadishu in June due to security concerns.
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority stated that failure to respond to its letter by August 24th would lead to “the immediate revocation of FlyDubai’s operating license in Somalia.”
The two letters follow indirect talks between Somalia and Ethiopia, mediated and coordinated by Turkey, whose Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan indicated earlier this month that “significant progress” had been made.
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Somaliland enjoys relative stability compared to other parts of the Horn of Africa, with its own institutions, currency, and passports. However, the region remains poor and isolated due to the lack of international recognition, despite its strategic position as a gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
