Somaliland gives Airlines 3-Weeks to Reinstate its name in Flight schedules…

Somaliland Authorities have issued a direct mandate for Fly Dubai and Ethiopian Airlines to reinstate the use of the name “Somaliland” in their flight listings for Hargeisa and Berbera. This move follows a recent decision by both carriers which began referring flight destinations in the break-away region as part of Somalia in response to a directive from the Federal Government…

Tensions broke out earlier this month when Somalia’s federal authorities pressured airlines not to use the term Somaliland in their flight listings. This was seen as part of a broader effort by the Somali government to assert its sovereignty over the self-declared independent region of Somaliland. The Somali government claims the region, which declared independence in 1991, as part of its own territory, despite Somaliland’s pursuit of international recognition.

In response, the Somaliland government has escalated the situation by demanding that Fly Dubai and Ethiopian Airlines return to listing “Somaliland” alongside Hargeisa and Berbera.

Airlines have been placed in a challenging position, balancing their operations and compliance with varying political pressures. Fly Dubai and Ethiopian Airlines, both of which maintain significant operations in the region, have been given a 21-day ultimatum to conform to the new directive.

Somaliland Information Minister Ali Hassan Mohamed said on Sunday that remittances within the region will not adhere to the Somali government’s directive on referencing Somaliland in their websites.

Mohamed criticized the order as a sign of Somali government’s inherent weakness and lack of authority, emphasizing that such directives reflect their diminishing influence. He asserted that issuing these letters is a desperate measure by Somalia’s government, revealing their inability to address the realities on the ground