Thursday February 29, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - The parliamentary committee on transport, aviation, and public works visited the headquarters of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) in Mogadishu on Wednesday, just a few days after Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines narrowly avoided a mid-air collision over Somali airspace.
Led by MP Abdillahi Geel-Qaad and his deputy MP Mohamud Ahmed Baafo, the committee met with the Minister of Transport and Aviation, MP Fardowsa Osman Egal, the Minister of State for Aviation, MP Abdi Haydar, and SCAA manager Ahmed Moallim.
The committee discussed the current state of aviation safety in Somalia and the challenges facing the management of the country’s airspace. They also explored ways to enhance the security and safety of aircraft using Somali air routes.
During the visit, the committee toured various offices and facilities of the SCAA and interviewed staff and operators about their work and the challenges they faced.
Last week, on February 24, a potential mid-air collision between a Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8 (A7-BCN) and an Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350-900 (ET-ATY) was narrowly avoided over Somali airspace. Qatar Airways flight QR1383, traveling from Doha (DOH) to Entebbe (EBB), and Ethiopian Airlines flight ET602, en route from Addis Ababa (ABB) to Dubai (DXB), received conflicting instructions from air traffic controllers in Mogadishu. Fortunately, both flights safely landed at their respective destinations, with QR1383 touching down at Entebbe Airport at 11:58 UTC and ET602 arriving in Dubai at 12:05 UTC.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed an MoU with Somaliland President Muse Bihi in Addis Ababa on January 1 to gain access to the Red Sea in exchange for a stake in its flagship carrier, Ethiopian Airlines. Since then, contention over airspace has arisen between the Somaliland region and the federal government. The Somali government has firmly rejected the memorandum of understanding.