Minister of Aviation: Commercial Flights Between Ethiopia and Somaliland to Resume
Addis Ababa (SDN)-Somaliland’s Minister of Aviation Mr. Mahamud Hashi Abdi has been in Ethiopia over the last few of days where he took part in a series of meetings with the Minister of Public Affairs of Ethiopia, the administration of Ethiopian Airlines and Britain’s Ambassador to Ethiopia.
A press release from the Ministry of Aviation in Hargeisa stated that a delegation including the Minister of Aviation Mahamud Hashi Abdi and the Ministry’s manager Mr. Ahmed Dalal Farah has been in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa for the last four days on official business.
The delegation was there to strengthen ties between the two Aviation ministries. Ethiopian officials pledged to help build the Capacity of Somaliland’s Aviation Ministry which is relatively new. Somaliland’s Minister promised to work with Ethiopia’s Aviation Association in this regard and for his part pledged to help support the training of employees in his Ministry.
Somaliland officials also met with the VP of Ethiopian Airlines and the management of Ethiopia’s Aviation Association where they discussed matters of commercial importance between the two countries.
Both parties agreed to the resumption of flights between the two countries. The government of Ethiopia is expected to confirm the terms of reference for the agreement within the next two weeks.
Minister Hashi was also invited to the home of Britain’s Ambassador where they discussed bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Somaliland. They also discussed an on-going programme initiated by the government of Britain to help expand Igal International Airport in Hargeisa and Berbera International Airport.
The meetings ended with several firm agreements in place between the two countries and plans to quickly assess the most pressing needs of Somaliland’s Ministry of Aviation so that capacity building activities can begin in partnership with Ethiopia’s Aviation Association.
SDN-Addis Ababa