Somalia says it has bought two Airbus aircraft in a bid to revive the national carrier, which was run aground 34 years ago.

 

Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Farah Nuh said on Monday the government had leased two Airbus A320s in a major move towards revival of the Somali Airlines after more than three decades.

The airline was establishment in 1964 but ceased operations following the collapse of the country’s central authority in January 1991.

The deal was signed on Sunday at the office of Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Nuh told the media, noting that the airline would fly within two months.“Somalia purchased the two aircraft from Lema Air Group, aiming to improve connectivity, create opportunities for citizens, and ensure Somalia’s compliance with global aviation safety standards,” said the minister without elaborating further, but termed the purchase historic.“These aircraft represent the foundation of Somali Airlines’ comeback into the airspace, the government being committed to re-establishing a carrier that meets international service and safety standards.”In a phased fleet expansion, according to Nuh, the government plans to acquire additional two or three aircraft by 2026.“Somali pilots and aviation personnel trained abroad will be recruited to operate the aircraft, with support from the Somali diaspora anticipated to play a key role in rebuilding technical capacity,” he added.

Somali Airlines in 1974 had a Boeing 707 for international routes and smaller Fokker F27s for local flights. It flew to destinations such as Cairo, Rome, Frankfurt, Jeddah, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Djibouti.

Third attemptThis is the third time that Somalia has attempted to revive the airline. In February 2014, the then transport minister Sa’eed Jama Mohamed Qorsheel announced the country’s commitment to reviving Somali Airlines.

About six months earlier, in August 2013, another former transport minister, Abdullahi Ilmoge Hersi, said that Somalia had signed an agreement with China focusing on the revitalisation of the flag carrier.

Howeve, neither of these plans was pursued, largely because Somalia was transitioning to a new type of administration and facing other challenges.

In the absence of a national carrier, regional airlines such as Daallo Airlines, Freedom Airline Express, Jubba Airways, and African Express Airways have maintained critical domestic and cross-border services.

International and regional carriers, such as Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Flydubai, and Qatar Airways, also operate regular flights to Mogadishu and other key cities.“The initiative is part of efforts to restore national pride, generate jobs, and reconnect Somalia to regional and global markets,” Nuh said. “This is about restoring an institution that connects Somalia to the world.”

© Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).