Hornpost
Hargeisa, Somaliland – (Hornpost) The Somaliland government has announced that it has assumed full control of its airspace, with air traffic services now being directed from control towers in Hargeisa and Erigavo.
Startin from November 11, 2025, according to authorities in Hargeisa, all domestic and international flights passing through Somaliland’s upper airspace have been notified of the change. Pilots and airlines were reportedly given official notice that aircraft cannot enter or transit Somaliland’s skies without authorization from Somaliland’s civil aviation authorities.
Officials say the move marks a significant shift in the management of Somaliland’s airspace, which has for years been a point of disagreement between Hargeisa and Mogadishu. Somaliland aviation officials claim the takeover ensures safer, more efficient control and strengthens the self-governing administration’s sovereignty claims.
The Federal Government of Somalia has not yet publicly responded to the latest development. Previously, Mogadishu has maintained that Somalia’s airspace is federally regulated and operated as a single national entity.
Aviation observers say the situation could lead to increased diplomatic tension unless a negotiated framework is reached between both sides.
Reaction of Somaliland regains its airspace management:
Somaliland Aviation Authority:
“All aircraft transiting Somaliland airspace are required to request clearance from our control centers. This ensures safety, accountability, and sovereign management of our skies.”
“This step is a long-awaited milestone. Our technical capacity is ready, our systems are operational, and we are responsible for the security of our airspace.”
Aviation Analyst in the Region:
“If confirmed, this could shift regional airspace dynamics. The key question is whether regional and international aviation bodies will formally recognize the change”
Commercial Pilot:
“Airlines will wait for clear directives from international aviation authorities, but sudden changes can create operational confusion.”
Somalia: No immediate response yet from the Federal Government of Somalia, which has previously insisted that Somalia’s airspace remains under federal authority.
Chaired by the President of the Republic Of Somaliland
BACKGROUND: Previous Negotiations Between Somaliland and Somalia Over Airspace
Somaliland and Somalia have held several rounds of negotiations in recent years regarding the management of Somali airspace. The talks were facilitated mainly by the government of Türkiye, acting as a mediator between Hargeisa and Mogadishu.
During early rounds of dialogue in Ankara, both sides reportedly reached an understanding that airspace control would be jointly managed. The proposal included operating through two main control centers—one in Hargeisa and one in Mogadishu—with a shared system for flight clearances and aviation revenue.
However, Somaliland officials have repeatedly accused the Federal Government of Somalia of walking away from the agreement. According to Hargeisa’s position, Mogadishu later abandoned the arrangement and pursued unilateral control, like other agreements that Somaliland says Somalia has withdrawn from during Türkiye-mediated talks.
A second attempt at reconciliation took place toward the end of 2023 in Djibouti, where the leadership of both sides met. The Djibouti meetings concluded with another public announcement committing to implement earlier agreements on cooperation and joint administration of airspace. Despite that declaration, progress has remained limited, and each side continues to claim authority over the country’s skies.
As a result, the issue remains one of the most contentious points in Somaliland–Somalia relations, with implications for aviation safety, sovereignty claims, and regional diplomacy. The latest announcement from Hargeisa—declaring full control of Somaliland’s airspace—adds a new chapter to this long-running dispute.
Somaliland declared its position of retaken airspace management on 9 November 2025:
read here
Chaired by the President of the Republic Of Somaliland
Prepared by:
Hornpost staff Reporter
