MOGADISHU, Somalia — Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, the former president of Somalia, has voiced strong opposition to the current government’s decision to outsource the management of Somalia’s airspace to NAV-PASS, a company based in the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Farmaajo argued that this decision undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and overlooks the contributions of local aviation experts.
“Handing over the management of our airspace to a foreign government is not only a setback to our sovereignty but also a betrayal of the selfless work done by Somali professionals,” Farmaajo declared, highlighting the competence of Somalia’s aviation sector to manage its own airspace.
This statement comes at a time when Somalia, having regained control of its airspace from UN oversight in 2017, faces criticism for potentially reversing its progress towards self-governance. Farmaajo called for the government to reconsider this decision, stressing the strategic importance of maintaining national control over such critical infrastructure.
In response, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) took to social media to refute Farmaajo’s claims, insisting that Somalia’s airspace remains under national jurisdiction. “The Somali Civil Aviation Authority confirms to the Somali people that the country’s air cannot be managed by foreign entities, and there is no government plan to allow this,” SCAA stated, denying any move to cede control.
The deal with NAV-PASS, which reportedly involves revenue collection from airspace operations, has sparked widespread discussion and concern among Somalis on social platforms and within political circles, questioning its impact on national security and economic independence.
This issue underscores a significant debate in Somalia’s path towards stability and asserting its independence in both regional and global contexts.
