Airlines flying in and out of Somalia may this week be forced to navigate rival aviation rules issued by Mogadishu and the breakaway region of Somaliland, after the latter moved to reassert control over its local airspace.

The move, announced by Somaliland President Abdirahman Irro, came after Somalia’s federal government directed airlines to ensure that all passengers entering any part of the country possess valid electronic travel authorisations (e-TA) or other recognised travel documents before boarding.

The e-TA requirement is not new. Since September, Somalia has required travellers to obtain electronic visas before boarding, replacing the paper applications used previously. However, Mogadishu recently expanded these rules, issuing broader “general requirements” governing the entry, transit and departure of passengers and crew.

On Sunday, Somaliland’s Immigration and Border Control Agency issued a memo warning airlines against refusing passengers intending to travel to Hargeisa, threatening penalties including the loss of landing rights.“Visas or travel authorisations issued by Somalia are not valid for entry into the Republic of Somaliland,” said Mohamed Hussein Farah, the Commissioner for Somaliland Immigration in the statement.“Such documents will not be recognised at any Somaliland border point. Individuals presenting them will be refused entry and may be subject to lawful procedures in line with national immigration regulations.”Somaliland often refers to itself as a republic, though it has never been recognised by any sovereign state. Nevertheless, it operates with considerable autonomy and rejects inclusion in the Federal Government of Somalia, which governs six federal member states.

Since 2023, airlines and international firms operating in Somaliland have increasingly found themselves caught between Hargeisa and Mogadishu, as the federal government moves to reassert its sovereignty. Mogadishu previously instructed airlines and money transfer firms not to list Somaliland as a separate country or nationality and demanded that all aircraft landing anywhere in Somalia obtain clearance from Mogadishu.

While some federal states, such as Jubaland and Puntland, ignored that order, enforcement has until recently been lax. The latest directive, however, signals a firmer push by Mogadishu.

Travellers are required to present both their passport and a copy of the e-TA at all ports of entry in Somalia.

Somaliland, on the other hand, insists that travellers to Hargeisa must apply for visas on arrival or through its liaison missions abroad, including in Kenya, Ethiopia, the UK, Turkey, and Djibouti — a direct contradiction of Mogadishu’s efforts to digitise migration services and increase federal revenue collection.

Somalia’s new e-TA system is managed by the Immigration and Citizenship Agency. It is part of a series of public finance reforms supported by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which have urged Mogadishu to digitise government services to seal revenue leakages from manual processes such as business licences, residency permits, and visas.

While Somalia has not disclosed visa revenue figures, the central bank reported domestic revenues of $268 million in 2024. Both the World Bank and IMF estimate that digitisation could significantly boost these collections.

On November 8, President Irro chaired a high-level meeting on aviation management and declared an intention to assert “full and independent control over its borders, ports, and airports.”A communiqué issued on Saturday stated that all civil and commercial flights transiting or operating within Somaliland’s airspace must obtain clearance from Hargeisa.“Any flight entering or exiting Somaliland’s airspace without authorisation will be subject to regulatory enforcement consistent with national and international aviation law,” it read.

In previous instances where overlapping directives were issued, some airlines opted to avoid Somaliland’s airspace altogether to reduce operational risk. Others, particularly those landing in both regions, have advised passengers to secure travel documents from both authorities.

Somaliland has sought independence from Somalia since 1993 without success. Many of its senior officials — including President Irro, a former Somali diplomat — still travel abroad using Somali passports.

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