Somalia takes full control of Its airspace after foreign workers handover responsibilities to Somalis

Mogadishu (Somalia) – The Somali government has retaken full control of its air space after foreign workers working with the government officially handing over their responsibilities to Somali nationals.  Air traffic over the Horn of Africa nation had been controlled by the United Nations from neighboring Kenya since 1992, a year after the Somali civil war broke out.

The Horn African country has officially fully reclaimed its airspace control having all foreign workers in the aviation ministry handed over their responsibilities to competent Somali nationals in the capital Mogadishu.

The team of Somali professionals will be working from a new fully equipped flight information center to control Somali airspace in Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport, which is largely protected by African Union forces.

The handing over ceremony was attended by government Ministers, lawmakers, foreign diplomats, security chiefs and officials International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Valentine Kyomba who headed the outgoing team urged the Somali government to continue with the work they started.

The Federal Minister for Transportation and Aviation Mohamed Abdullahi Salad Omaar said the move came after ICAO, an NGO body under the United Nations handed over the airspace control to Somalia.

The minister appreciated the good work that foreign workers and the ICAO organization who he said worked tirelessly with the work in the aviation control office until now that they have secured local educated staff.

We are conducting a handover ceremony for our foreign brothers who were working with us.  But it should be remembered the team has been working with professional team of somalis who were dedicated and very hardworking.

Minister Oomaar

The United Nations Development Program, UNDP, and ICAO founded a civil aviation caretaker authority for Somalia, CACAS following the collapse of the government in 1991.