Somalia threatens to suspend Ethiopian Airlines flights amid territorial dispute

Somalia has issued a warning to suspend all Ethiopian Airlines flights to its territory due to an ongoing territorial dispute.

The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) announced on August 21, 2024, that the airline has failed to respond to concerns related to Somali sovereignty.

The dispute escalated after Ethiopia signed an agreement in January 2024 with the separatist region of Somaliland, securing access to 20 kilometers of Somaliland's coastline for 50 years in exchange for recognizing the territory.

Somalia views this deal as a direct violation of its sovereignty, heightening tensions between the two countries.

The SCAA also expressed frustration over Ethiopian Airlines’ recent actions, including the removal of Somali destination names from its systems, which the SCAA believes undermines Somalia's sovereignty.

Ethiopian Airlines has been given a deadline of August 23, 2024, to address these issues, or all flights to Somalia will be suspended.