Somaliland has announced that visas and travel permits issued by Somalia are no longer valid for entry into its territory, escalating tensions between the self-declared republic and Mogadishu. In a directive issued on Sunday, the Somaliland Immigration and Border Control Agency said that anyone attempting to enter the region with Somalia-issued documents would be denied entry. The agency instructed all foreign nationals to instead apply for a Somaliland visa either on arrival at Hargeisa or Berbera international airports or through its embassies and missions abroad. Somaliland currently operates diplomatic offices in Kenya, Ethiopia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, among a few others, as part of its effort to expand its international footprint.
The move came a day after President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro” publicly rejected Somalia’s new electronic visa system, calling it “legally null and void.” During a visit to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Irro reaffirmed Somaliland’s full sovereignty over its land, sea, and airspace, saying “The airspace of the Republic of Somaliland is a matter of national dignity, sovereign obligation, and strategic priority. Our nation will neither compromise nor delegate the guardianship of its skies.” Effective Monday, all aircraft entering or exiting Somaliland’s airspace must obtain clearance directly from Somaliland’s aviation authorities, a move that challenges Somalia’s long-standing claim of control over the region’s skies.
Analysts say the decision is part of President Irro’s broader effort to assert Somaliland’s independence and tighten administrative control following his election earlier this year. The directive also highlights ongoing friction between Hargeisa and Mogadishu, which has intensified since Somalia’s government introduced a centralized e-visa platform last month. Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991, following the collapse of Siad Barre’s regime. Despite functioning with its own government, military, and currency, it has not yet been recognized internationally as a sovereign state.
