Author: Osman Omar

The Federal Government of Somalia has officially implemented a nationwide Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) / E-Visa requirement for all passengers traveling to the country. Effective immediately, airlines around the world are prohibited from boarding any traveler—regardless of nationality—who has not received ETA approval prior to departure. This new policy applies to all airports within Somalia, including Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Berbera, Garowe, and Bosaso. It marks one of the most significant border-management reforms in the country’s recent history. A Strategic Move to Strengthen National Security Somalia has long faced security threats from al-Shabaab, ISIS-Somalia, and transnational criminal networks. These groups have historically…

For more than 30 years, the topic of “Somaliland independence” has repeatedly resurfaced in Somali politics. Supporters argue it’s a done deal. Opponents say it’s impossible. But most ordinary people are stuck in the middle, wondering what the truth really is. When you strip away the emotions, slogans, and political noise, one thing becomes very clear: Somaliland cannot become an internationally recognized independent state—not legally, not historically, and not on the ground today. Here’s why, in plain language. 1. Somalia Is an Old Nation—Not a European Invention Many African countries were created by Europeans. Somalia wasn’t. Somalis lived on this…

The Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has today officially concluded an important aviation security training program for security personnel working at the country’s airports.The training, opened by the Authority’s Director General, Mr. Ahmed Moallin Hassan, is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen aviation security standards across the Federal Republic of Somalia. This program is one of a series of joint training initiatives implemented by the Somali Civil Aviation Authority in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The primary objective of the program is to enhance the knowledge, skills, and preparedness of aviation security staff to ensure that Somalia’s…

The sky over the Horn of Africa is changing—not just politically, but operationally.And the latest notice from the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) is a wake-up call for every pilot, dispatcher, and airline safety officer who works flights across East Africa. If your route crosses Northern Somalia, especially the region highlighted red in the latest Mogadishu FIR map, keep reading—because this is not the kind of warning you ignore at FL350. Mogadishu FIR: Full Sovereign Authority—Prior Permission Required The SCAA has reinforced its legal authority over the entire Somali airspace.According to AIC 11/25 (06 NOV 2025): All aircraft—regardless of nationality…

Muddo ka badan soddon sano, magaca “Somaliland” wuxuu noqday aalad lagu hakinayo dhismaha dowladnimada Soomaaliya. Haddana su’aalaha muruga dhalinaya weli lama weydiin: sababtee Somaliland 32 sano ugu adkaysatay sheegashada “dowlad madax-bannaan” iyadoo aysan jirin hal aqoonsi caalami ah oo u dhow inuu yimaado? Maxay uga baxeen wadahadal sharci ah oo ay la galaan dowladda Soomaaliya haddii ay run ka yihiin sheegashadooda? Dhallinyaro badan oo ku noolaa gobolladaas waxaa laga jaray Somalinimadii, maskax ahaanna loogu adeegsaday siyaasad aan daacad ahayn—sida abwaan Gamaadiid oo markii uu ka quustay doodda Somaliland ugu dambayn ku biiray Al-Shabaab. Su’aashu waxay tahay: sidee ayay u suuragashay…

Somalia’s new E-Visa system has become one of the most important security reforms introduced in recent years. Government officials say the digital platform is already making a significant difference in preventing foreign militants from entering the country. A New Layer of Protection According to Somalia’s Minister of Defense, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, the upgraded E-Visa system has stopped thousands of people who tried to travel to Somalia with the intention of joining extremist groups such as ISIS and Al-Shabaab. Before the digital system was introduced, many of these fighters entered the country by taking advantage of weak screening procedures. One of the most commonly used entry points…

Mogadishu Somalia The Director of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), Mr. Ahmed Macalin Hassan, conducted an inspection visit today to the new airport under construction in Dhuusamareeb, the capital of Galmudug. He was accompanied by the Deputy Director and a team of expert engineers who assessed the progress of the project and reviewed key technical components of the airport’s development. The new Dhuusamareeb Airport is designed to serve as a strategic backup to Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport, which has now become the third-busiest airport in East Africa. Once completed, the airport will be capable of handling large civilian…

When the Somali government announced the launch of its E-Visa service, many people welcomed it as a major step toward modernization. The idea was simple — make it easier for travelers to apply online instead of waiting at embassies. But after some investigation, questions started to rise. The government has stayed silent, leaving the public guessing how the system actually works and who it truly serves. Real Travelers, Real Questions We followed ten Somali travelers from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Norway, and South Africa.Each of them carried a foreign passport and applied for a Somali E-Visa before…

Waxaa soo ifbaxay warbixin cusub oo ay soo gudbiyeen saraakiil ka tirsan laamaha amniga magaalada Muqdisho, taas oo muujinaysa cabsi xooggan oo laga qabo weerarro ay qorsheynayaan kooxaha Al-Shabaab. Ilo xog-ogaal ah oo la hadlay Qaran24 ayaa sheegay in digniino dhowr jeer la gudbiyay, balse aan laga qaadin tallaabo degdeg ah, taas oo dhalisay walaac weyn oo ay muujiyeen dadka magaalada ku nool iyo saraakiisha ka shaqeysa amniga.  Digniino Hore Oo Aan La Maqlin Saraakiisha ayaa tilmaamay in dhacdadii 5-tii Oktoobar 2025, ee la isticmaalay gaari loo ekeeysiiyey midka dowlada ay leedahay oo lagu weeraray Godka Jilicow, aysan aheen mid…

The latest report from the International Crisis Group reads less like research and more like an echo from a past that Somalia has already outgrown. It’s as if the authors were staring through a dusty window, describing a country they’ve never set foot in. Their report depends on recycled opinions and third-hand quotes from people who see Somalia through the lens of failure. But that’s not the Somalia of today. In 2025, this country breathes construction dust, ambition, and momentum. New roads, airports, and housing projects rise from the ground, and a younger generation refuses to be defined by the…

For more than fifteen years, Ahmed Madoobe’s grip over Kismayo has stood as one of the most enduring paradoxes in Somalia’s modern history. While international donors—from the United Nations to the African Union—poured billions into Jubbaland under the banner of “stability,” just fifteen kilometers outside the city, Al-Shabaab has slaughtered, displaced, and erased minority farming communities with impunity. What was once fertile land, tilled by generations of Somali farmers, has become a graveyard of abandoned villages and silenced tongues. The world’s grand narrative of “peacebuilding” concealed a quieter catastrophe—one funded, in part, by the very institutions meant to prevent it.…