Politics

Ethiopian Airlines under threat from Somalia for ‘sovereignty violations’

Published

4 weeks ago

August 23, 2024

Ethiopian Airlines flights to and from Somalia have been threatened with suspension by the Somali government unless “violations of Somali sovereignty” about Ethiopian Airlines’ destinations are addressed.

The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) noted in a statement that it had previously corresponded with Ethiopian Airlines over the matter as early as August 14. Although it did not disclose specifics, several regional watchers believe it alludes to the airline’s flights to Hargeisa, Somaliland.

“It has come to our attention that, instead of addressing the sovereignty issues outlined in our letter, Ethiopian Airlines has made adjustments to its flight operations by removing references to Somali destinations and retaining only airport codes,” the statement said.

The Somali public has been filing “increasing numbers of complaints” to the SCAA about their travel experiences with Ethiopian Airlines, the agency added.

“If these issues are not resolved by August 23, 2024, SCAA will have no choice but to suspend all Ethiopian Airlines flights to Somalia, effective from that date. This would result in the cessation of Ethiopian Airlines services flights to Somalia.”

According to the SCAA, it won’t provide any advisories regarding upcoming actions. Officials from Ethiopian Airlines were called by VOA’s Horn of Africa Service; they have not yet responded to demands for comment.

However, Getachew Mengiste, the director of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, informs VOA that officials are aware of the problem. They haven’t yet had an official letter from the SCAA, though.

Mengiste promised to talk about the problem, look into its origin, and take appropriate action thereafter. For a long time, Ethiopian Airlines has operated flights to Somaliland.

Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a Memorandum of Understanding in January of this year. According to Hargeisa officials, the agreement would grant the latter recognition in exchange for Ethiopia leasing 20 kilometres of the seafront. This arrangement infuriated Somalia, which saw it as a breach of its sovereignty and territorial unity.

Fly Dubai, an airline operating in the United Arab Emirates, received a similar warning from the SCAA, claiming “serious violations committed by Fly Dubai regarding the representation of destinations served to/from Somalia in your official website, ticket booking platform, and mobile application.”

“These representations blatantly disregard the sovereignty of the Federal Government of Somalia and are unacceptable,” the statement said.

“All destinations to/from Somalia operated by Fly Dubai must clearly and correctly reference the name of the destination along with Somalia on both your official website and mobile application used for ticketing and booking services,” it said, adding, “This must be corrected no later than August 24, 2024.”

If the directive is not followed, Somalia has threatened to cancel Fly Dubai’s operating permit within its borders, “This decision will be enforced without further notice.”

Related Topics:Ethiopia Airline Featured

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Politics

Ghanian opposition protests, demands audit of voters register

Published

12 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Ghana’s major opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) party protested statewide on Tuesday, seeking an independent forensic audit to clean up the voter register for free and fair elections.

NDC leaders said the election commission secretly relocated voters to various voting sites, undermining the register.

In red and black, thousands of supporters marched through Accra’s main streets, blasting reggae and campaign music and calling on international bodies, Ghana’s peace council, and religious and civil society groups to intervene. Protest leaders petitioned parliament and the Accra electoral agency. Ghana’s other 15 regions also saw protests, local media said.

Protester Kwame Acheampong, 68, told Reuters in Akan that his registration had been moved from the capital to Tamale. He asked, “How can I vote in Tamale?”

Meanwhile, the electoral commission claims the flaws were fixed. It suspended a northern Pusiga district director in August for “using his credentials to transfer voters without their knowledge.” Ghana is one of Africa’s most stable democracies, although eight people died in the last election, which was marred by opposition claims that the government unjustly influenced the vote, which it rejected.

Allegations of irregularities tarnish the electoral authorities. Afrobarometer’s July survey found Ghana’s election commission’s trust at an all-time low since confidence polls began in 1999. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, NDC chairman, told demonstrators he wanted “transparent elections.”

Ghana will have general elections for president and parliamentarians on December 7, 2024. President Nana Akufo-Addo cannot run again due to term limits after eight years. Old NDC president John Dramani Mahama will face New Patriotic Party Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in the election.

The President of Ghana is elected in two rounds, while 275 MPs are elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting.

Politics

South Sudan ready to resume pumping oil through Sudan

Published

17 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to South Sudan’s finance minister and the president’s office, progress has been made in getting South Sudan and Sudan to resume supplying crude oil through a pipeline that goes to a port in their neighbourhood.

South Sudan depends heavily on its oil exports for its income, and Sudan keeps a portion of the oil as a transit fee.

The devastation resulting from a fight between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces forced the closure of the major pipeline that transported oil from South Sudan via Sudan for export in February. According to observers, the stoppage has caused food prices in Sudan, where millions of people suffer from acute hunger, to rise. The damage is likely to cause major environmental degradation.

“Sudanese engineers have accomplished the necessary technical preparations for the resumption of oil production,” South Sudan President Salva Kiir’s office said in a statement late on Monday after a meeting in Juba between Kiir and Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

“Engineers from South Sudan are expected to visit Sudan in the coming weeks to familiarise themselves with the readiness of the facilities to jump-start production.”

“There has been a breakthrough, and (news of) it will come to the public very soon,” South Sudan’s Finance Minister Marial Dongrin Ater told a news conference late on Monday.
Burhan’s office said the two sides would develop an operational plan to restart oil flows.

Due to intercommunal violence, South Sudan’s economy has been under strain recently. Since the civil war that lasted from 2013 to 2018, revenue from crude oil exports has decreased, and more recently, export disruptions have occurred because of the conflict in neighbouring Sudan.

Following its independence from Khartoum in 2011, South Sudan began exporting roughly 150,000 barrels of crude oil per day through Sudan, following a formula that took the majority of the country’s oil production with it.

Before the civil war, South Sudan produced between 350,000 and 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day at its highest point.