Somaliland’s Ex- Minister Mahmud Hashi Signed Airspace Control Transfer to Somalia

[Deeq A.]

HARGEISA— The transfer of of the Somaliland Airspace Control to Somalia was authorized by the administration of immediate past president Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo.

This was revealed by former Somalia aviation minister Saaed Jama Qorsheel during an interview with Goob-jog TV in Mogadishu where he also named former minister Mahmud Hashi Abdi as signatory.

Terming his former counterpart as a man of stature Mr Qorsheel said that during the internationally sanctioned talks between the two countries, Airspace management was deemed as a priority.
“Considering that the airspace of both Somaliland and Somalia was under the management of foreigners based in Nairobi the two negotiating teams were unanimous in the imperatives reassuming Control.

Stressing on the fact that it was initially agreed to established a joint management body based in Hargeisa , Mr Qorsheel said that a number of reasons among them the need to have the body in the capital mitigated against

“It is therefore no wonder that the foreigners have now handed over to a Mogadishu based authority, this for the simple reason that it is capital of entire Somalia.
Praising Mahmud Hashi Abdi his former aviation counterpart before transferring to his last position as presidency minister, Saeed Jama Qorsheel said that he found him to be a person whose heart was in the development of his country.
“While signing to transfer authority to Somalia, Mahmud Hashi never earned a penny” said Qorsheel adding that the motive behind was first to assume local control and subsequently the accruing benefits from all the airliners that over fly Somalia.

The International Civil Avition Authority-ICAO a UN body that has been in charge of Somaliland Somalia Airspace contraol for over two decades handed over to the Somalia civila aviation authority last month.

In the meantime the revelations by Qorsheel puts to rest questions related to this affair that has brewed controversy within Somaliland.

Hornnewspaper