Airspace talks between Somaliland and Somalia delegations kicked off in Ankara yesterday ( 15 October) and the talks brokered by Turkey saw the attendance of officials from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The missions of the talks is aimed at finding a lasting solution to the airspace row between Somalia and Somaliland.
The two delegations discussed on ways to fully carry out previous Ankara accords on Airspace control and they also talked about how the Somalia and Somaliland should both administer the airspace management.
The two sides had heated debates and discussions pertaining to the future of Somalia’s airspace control.
It is expected that the talks will continue today.
Somalia’s central government collapsed in 1991 but thanks to ICAO and United Nations programe have jointly created Civil Aviation Caretaker Authority of Somalia (CACAS) with the mandate to fully takeover the managment of Somalia’s airspace and is based in Nairobi.
Somaliland delegations include:-
- Minister of Civil Aviation Hon. Mohamud Hashi Abdi
- Assistant Civil Aviation Minister Hon. Said Abdi Mohamed
- Head of flights department Hon. Said Mahdi Ileye
- Advisor Hon. Ahmed Omar Aga Dable
Somalia’s delegation include:-
- Minister of Aviation Hon. Ali Ahmed Jama “Jangeli”
- Director Hon. Abdiwaahid Omar
- Advisor Hon. Mohamed Khalif
- Civil Avaition offcer Hon. Ahmed Abdirahman
ICAO officials
- Mr. Ivan Galan. Director TCB, Technical Co-operation Bureau.
- ICAO Technical Cooperation, by Ms. Nancy Onyedim
Turkish Mediations
- Turkish ambassador to Somalia/Somaliland, Olgan Baker
- First Secretary of Turkish Foreign ministry, Kareem Yilmaz
- Director of Eastern Africa, Hulusi Kilic
- Ahmed Riza Demirer, Special envoy for the talks between Somalia and Somaliland
- Seval Ince : Air Traffic Controller
