Somalia has regained control of the management of its airspace after about 27 years, President Mohamed Abdulahi ‘Farmajo’ said on Thursday.
The Horn of African country’s airspace has been under the management of the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regional office in Nairobi for the better part of three decades.
Farmajo made the announcement while officially inaugurating the offices and equipment installed at the Mogadishu International Airport, saying the move represented a significant step towards the development of the country.
“It is a great honor for us to witness this historic day that we retake control and management of our airspace. This did not come simply and luckily, but through hard work,” Xinhua quotes him to have said.
The president thanked officials of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation for their efforts as well as ICAO which has been running the airport.
He added that the regaining of control of Somalia’s airspace was part of his government’s commitment to restoring important public services.
Somalia has been dogged by years of an Islamist insurgency waged by al-Shabaab terror group. The war has killed thousands and displaced millions.
The war against this militancy is a main focus for the government as it was for previous governments. This has had a toll the development of the country, as well as provision of other services.
Farmajo is however confident he is able to crush the jihadist group.
