Cabinet Committee recently appointed by His Excellency the President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has issued Four-Point Policy on E-Visa and Airspace Sovereignty, Independence and Safety of Airspace.
The Government of the Republic of Somaliland reaffirms that it exclusively owns the airspace, land and sea within the borders of the Republic of Somaliland. Permission to use Somaliland airspace can ONLY be obtained from the Ministry of Aviation and Airport Development of Somaliland, in full compliance with national and international aviation laws.
Rejection of Somalia’s Illegal e-Visa
The Republic of Somaliland declares that the e-Visa recently introduced by Somalia has no validity whatsoever in Somaliland territory and cannot be used to enter Somaliland.
Somaliland operates its own independent immigration and travel system.
Somaliland’s policy is OPEN: Visa on Arrival. Every traveller to Somaliland can obtain their visa immediately upon landing at Hargeisa Egal International Airport or Berbera International Airport.
Regulation of All Flights in Somaliland Upper Airspace
Effective 10 November 2025, every aircraft using Somaliland airspace must hold a valid overflight permit issued by the Somaliland Ministry of Aviation.
Any aircraft without Somaliland permission will be denied transit. Violators will face enforcement measures under both Somaliland and international aviation law.
Urgent Appeal to the International Community
The Government of Somaliland calls on: International aviation authorities (ICAO, IATA)
The United Nations
Bilateral and multilateral partners
to wake up to the danger caused by Somalia’s politicisation of civil aviation and airspace management—turning it into a weapon against the Government and people of Somaliland. This threatens the safety of every commercial and passenger flight using Somali/Somaliland airspace.Somaliland demands the following immediate actions:Restore neutrality in airspace management as required by international law and UN aviation conventions.
Fix the error in IATA’s Timatic system that wrongly lists Somaliland airports as “part of Somalia”.
Find a lawful solution to the airspace crisis created by Somalia, recognising the reality that Somaliland is fully sovereign over its land, sea and air.
Establish a transparent mechanism to manage the finances of the Somaliland/Somalia airspace, which were wrongly handed solely to the Federal Government of Somalia.
ICAO must conduct an independent assessment of flight and airport management and create a direct channel for civil aviation authorities to deal with the Republic of Somaliland.
End of official statement
Issued by the Government of the Republic of Somaliland
8 November 2025.