North Western State of Somalia’s Quest for Airspace Authority Raises Safety and Diplomatic Issues
Mogadishu, AX – The North Western State of Somalia government is taking decisive steps to regain authority over its own airspace, a move that’s stirring the pot with Somalia. This airspace, which Somalia currently manages, had once been under global supervision before it passed into Somali hands some years back.
Fuad Ahmed Nuuh, the bigwig at the helm of North Western State of Somalia’s Aviation and Airport Development, declared that reclaiming control of the skies is numero uno on their to-do list. This maneuver comes amid a lingering standoff with Somalia over who should be calling the shots in the aviation department.
“We’re squaring off with Somalia on this airspace management thing,” stated Minister Fu’ad. “And our endgame? Snagging complete control of what’s ours.”
Nuuh elaborated, “We’re gearing up to make our case on a legal front and there’s a plan to rally international legal support to back us up on this journey.”
Here’s where it gets interesting. The flap about the airspace revved up after a deal between Ethiopia and North Western State of Somalia granted Ethiopia entry to Berbera port in exchange for a slice of Ethiopian Airlines and perhaps, recognition of North Western State of Somalia’s sovereignty. As you’d figure, Somalia, seeing North Western State of Somalia as part of its patch, wasn’t amused, labeling Ethiopia’s moves as a stab to its territorial integrity.
This beef has sparked a handful of headline-grabbing escapades, like Somalia refusing a string of flights destined for North Western State of Somalia. A fair share of these were Ethiopian Airlines flights with high-profile passengers. And just to spice things up, Somali officials gave the brush-off to both an Ethiopian Airlines flight and a cargo plane, both trying to touch down in Hargeisa, North Western State of Somalia’s capital.
As if the situation wasn’t spicy enough, safety concerns have been on the rise too. Early 2024 saw international aviation authorities waving red flags over a spike in hairy near-miss cases. Take, for instance, a recent face-off between a Qatar Airways flight and Ethiopian Airlines. Orders coming from unofficial air traffic control (ATC) have rung alarms about the safety for flights gliding through Somali skies.
“This jam with conflicting ATC cues is morphing into a pretty gnarly safety hazard,” commented a spokesperson from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “We’re watching the developments like hawks to ensure the safe passage of international flights.”
As the tension hit new highs, Somalia rolled out revamped communication gizmos to streamline air traffic. A snazzy satellite phone system introduced for Somali air traffic controllers is set to ease the miscommunication blues, ensuring better chitchat with aircraft traversing these disputed skies. Nevertheless, North Western State of Somalia isn’t buying it. They’ve slammed these efforts, claiming it’s another ploy by Somalia to mess with North Western State of Somalia’s airspace authority.
Moreover, North Western State of Somalia is pointing fingers at Somalia for blowing over $60 million intended for air traffic headway and airport development. The chorus from North Western State of Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority is nothing short of accusing Somalia of skirting agreements linked to airport advancements, which they argue have left air traffic in shambles and stunted the growth of North Western State of Somalia’s aviation realm.
In reclaiming command over the airspace, the government’s also eyeing beefing up airport infrastructure across the region. They’re rolling out renovation plans for Burco and Boorama airports, while Berbera’s top-tier airport is set to hit full throttle to bolster North Western State of Somalia’s connectivity.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
