By Goth Mohamed Goth

The Minister of Civil Aviation and Air Transport Hon Mahmoud Hashi Abdi and the Minister of Commerce and International Investment Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Omer have during a working trip to the UAE concluded a major deal with the UAE owned Al Arabiya Airline in Dubai.

The two Somaliland Ministers signed the deal on behalf of the government of Somaliland with high ranking officials from Al Arabiya at the Airlines headquarters in Dubai  in a deal which will also pave the way for the airline to use the facilities of airports in Somaliland.

The Minister of Commerce and international Investment Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Omer speaking moments after the signing ceremony said , “Somaliland is open for business and any individual or business entity interested in investing in country is welcomed to do so ,

Apart from Al Arabiya Airlines which is expected to begin operations in the coming weeks, the only other international carrier which operates flights to Somaliland is Ethiopian Airlines with Kenyan Airways expected to join the rest in the coming future.

A top Al-Arabiya official said, “We keep expanding our network by launching new routes, the company will also invest in the modernization of the various facilities and will also help to improve airport services as it plans to use Somaliland as a stoppage and rest hub link routes in the Middle East and West Africa.

About

Air Arabia is the first publicly listed airline in the region providing the carrier an independent path to growth and profitability; visit Investor Relations to learn more about the company’s financial results and statements.

Air Arabia is not only committed to providing affordable air travel but is also dedicated to uplifting the lives of those who are less fortunate. Taking responsibility and lead on social needs of local and international communities has been part of our success. To this end, the carrier has implemented a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program for sustainable development with an emphasis on providing better education and healthcare for underprivileged communities. Click on Community to learn more about our initiatives. 

1 COMMENT

  1. AL Arabiya airlines welcome to the SL in the Gulf of Aden
    in the Horn of Africa. Good luck for all….
    Cheers

  2. Mohamed Hashi known as the father of corruption gave the agency for Al-Arabia to his cousin Mr. Abdi salaam Haji Ahmed. He is also in the process of terminating NASHA services and replacing it with a new service company of his own under another person's name.

    • Don't be jealous brother! Whoever gets a job is a fellow Somalilander as I also understand that you have an acquaintance with that guy you have mentioned his name above. Just congragulate him and say good luck brother.

  3. The aviation minister is corrupt and a liar at the same time. I do not trust corrupt people and liars, those who always keep their hands in the public purse, those who are arrogant, unkind, and whose aim is to ammass opulent wealth and make money out of the country's meagre resouces. Such people are fools because they fail to notice or feel that the public is watching. Their mentality is that they have to make money when they in power. This is a fact and who denies this utterly blind.

    God bless Somaliland.

  4. This is great news!! Air Arabia is the first budget airline to operate in Middle East, they are pioneers of low cost airlines. We all should welcome this news as it is not just another air link (hopefully cheaper as well) that connects Somaliland to the rest of the world but as the article reads the airline wants to use one our airports (I assume Berbera) as a hub i.e. West Africa and other parts of Africa will have to fly via Somaliland on their way to middle east. People this would mean a lot of jobs for Somalilanders on the ground and possible in the air, not to mention this deal puts the country on map as a safe place for well established companies to invest in.

  5. Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls,

    Kudos to the two Ministers for a job well done. Give credit where it is due for God's sake! Somaliland Websites and Newspapers should all be splashing this kind of Breaking News in their front pages, whether opposition or otherwise. This is for SOMALILAND…..Period! Get it?

    Chief K.

    • @Chief K,
      Man your ideas are always great and warmly welcome. Man, I read and heard loud and clear
      your earlier inputs..Man you are fantastic. Kindly shot more ideas whenever you feel like it.
      It goes without saying to thank your wonderful supports for the progress and developments of
      Berbera Port as a hub and Somaliland becoming modernized entity.
      Cheers.

  6. I know this will hurt the Somaliland haters even more than ever. Every Somaliland achievement is criticized by those who are envious and do not want us to succeed.

    I congratulate the two esteemed Ministers for great job the did and also congratulate Al-Arabiya and the UAE and specially Sheikh Sultan Al-Qasimi for their corporation and having an eye on the future – the future is Somaliland.

    • Dhugtame,

      Somaliland haters are not only limited to the Somaliweyne crew..we have our own haters sida Kuluc iyo Abdi naftuba ka dhacayso when good things come out of Somaliland lol.. 😉

      Well done to the two ministers…

      • When did Nepotism, corruption and illegally taking advantage of public trust have become good things?

        • Are you Somaliland hater? The topic in hand has nothing to do with to what you're talking about, but one thing is for sure, those who always talk about something they can not prove are the worst ones among the communities.

          • When you label people who are vocal about the state of corruption and nepotism as Somaliland haters what prove do you have?

  7. Where are the bantu boys today? You bantus there is good news coming from the quraysh Republic of Somaliland. In your concocted mentality, what do you think of this latest development? Does it not hurt you hard in the heart? Let me tell you this: with or without your fake tears, we, the quraysh will never share anything (other than a heavily fortified border) with you, bantu.

  8. The corrupted SL is still squandering faqash era Berbera facility (hub) cheaply for a pocket change, so what else in new???

  9. Heydays of Somaliland is back. In the early years of 1960 Aden Airways was flying from Hargeisa to Aden and the people of Somaliland had strong trade relation with Yemen. The country was prosperous. Livestock, hides, ghee and frankincence were exported to Aden. In their place came all commodities needed by Somaliland. Shops in Hargeisa were teeming with everything including the luxury items in the world. People everywhere were very happy until 1969 when the winds of misfortune came blowing from Somalia.

  10. Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls,

    Frankly, this is a loud and exciting news from the Silanyo Administration. We have been craving for a credible airline, financially sound and can provide a ferocious competition to Ethiopian for the Somaliland flying community's COMFORT & RESPECT that has been taken for granted by the latter airline.

    We all vividly remember, the ill-suited manner in which Ethiopian Airlines openly abandoned the fully paid Somalilander passengers in the dust without any further explanation of their unacceptable behaviour. They dare do that elsewhere and the consequences is court and hefty fines paid in full through their nose wheel.

    Somaliland flying community has forgiven Ethiopian, but will not forget the treatment hence more dependable airlines to arrive to the shores of Somaliland.

    For Somali run airlines, you better put your act together and assiduously seek financiers to compensate for your meagre balance sheets, thus more modern airplanes to fly the public in comfort and safely. The alternative to that, is, out of the window and into the sea, gentlemen.

    We appreciate the almighty Allah for the NO mishap so far, from the outdated and banned elsewhere machinery the public has been and still flown in some parts of our country and Somalia. They must be banned in our airspace sooner than later.

    Kenya Airways, Turkish and Fly Dubai are in the pipeline and will soon arrive to an airport near you! To be continued.

    Chief K

  11. Even though it does not concern me as a person, because I stop travelling since I came back home, but its a great news and good for my people and my country. Welcome Al-Arabia Airlines.

    Who knows, I may travel back to where I spend 36 years of my live – Qatar.

  12. I don't mind welcoming other companies as business partners though, but wouldn't it be even better if we had our own reliable world class airlines?.