Somaliland Could have Dealt Differently with Emirate’s Airlines
Given the close relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Flydubai & AirArabia should have been dealt with leniency
First and foremost, both Flydubai and AirArabia are world-class international airlines that collectively generate an annual revenue of US$3 billion, which is 10 times the GDP of the Somaliland Republic. Hence, these companies would virtually lose nothing from the banning the daily and weekly flights from and to Hargeisa, Somaliland.
On the contrary, Somaliland generally needs to welcome any potential investor and particularly all the investments relating to the international air travel for our dire need to be globally accessible and also for not alienating such topnotch and world-class international aviation icons.
The two airlines in question along with the Ethiopian Airlines have proved to become an invaluable asset connecting Somaliland people to the outside world as far as the international air travel is concern. In addition, the countries where these airlines are based – Ethiopia and UAE – are referred to be Somaliland’s strategic allies in this geopolitically turbulent Horn of African region.
According to the news account of local media, the airlines were operating flights to and from Somaliland without having proper Aviation Permits from the local Somaliland authority, and in the absence of an official agreements between aviation authorities of Somaliland and UAE. Yet in their weekly meeting, Somaliland Ministerial Cabinet did not explicitly disclose the details of how and under what circumstances the airlines were operating in the country.
However, there are reports claiming the two UAE airlines signed separate agreements with the Mogadishu administration, which claims Somaliland as a part of their country, despite not having any authority over Somaliland for the past 30 years.
Reports from additional sources added that Flydubai and AirArabia signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the Somaliland Aviation through the ex-aviation minister. Making the mess more complicated, the Ex Minister has obtained the agency rights for the two UAE airlines either in his own name or in the name related parties of his. This is a classical text book example of breach of trust and violation of guidelines governing the disclosure of Conflict of Interest. This illustrates the silence on the part of the Ex Minister of Aviation when the operational legality of the two airlines in the Somaliland airspace is in question.
Given all the surfaced irregularities, the current head of Somaliland Aviation Authority – Mr. Abdi Rodol – has suspended the operations of both Flydubai and AirArabia in April 2020. The Council of Cabinet Ministers also have recently extended the suspension until a formal and official agreement between the aviation authorities of Somaliland and UAE worked out.
Some opinions of Somalilanders express that the latest decision to further extend the suspension of Flydubai & AirArabia is indeed harsher and should have been dealt with leniency, given the close relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE),
According to Muse Sabriya, an Aviation Expert currently residing in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the following alternative course of action, that was at the disposal of Somaliland Administration, could have more appropriate:
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- Extending the two airlines’ operations for three months on provisional terms until such time when a formal arrangement could be possible to be concluded, while softening the Ad Hoc Aviation Arrangement for the airlines.
- Flydubai and AirArabia should fully review the terms regarding the legality of the general services agency rights for their operations in Somaliland airspace and landing privileges at Egal International Airport.
Somaliland should learn from UK aviation regulations that illustrate how governments give special treatment to their allies when it comes to Foreign Carrier Permits etc. Somaliland should not be an exception. Given our special status of yet to be recognized country, we should practice innovative and custom-made policies aiming at reducing the regulatory hurdles that are hampering our access the international aviation services
About the author:
Hassan Abdi Yussuf
Geopolitical Analyst
Hargeisa Somaliland
Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author/authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Somaliland Intellectuals Institute (SII), its partners, or sponsors. SII is a non-partisan organization that seeks to publish well-argued, policy-oriented articles on Somaliland foreign policy and nation's priorities in education, healthcare, economy, energy, and infrastructure.