According to a statement from the Director of Somaliland Civil Aviation, Mr. Omar-Sayid Abdillahi Adan Qalinle, Fly Dubai Airlines will resume flights to Egal International after it has fulfilled the government requirements and Somaliland and the United Arab Emirates Civil Aviation authorities have signed agreements.
One of the reasons cited by the Somaliland government for banning Fly Dubai was related to the airline’s compliance with an order from the Federal Government of Somalia to abort a flight to Somaliland following its COVID-19 related ban on all flights. Ethiopian Airlines has rejected a similar order from the Somali government and continued its flights into Somaliland. In addition, necessary operational agreements for the airline were not in place.
In addition to Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, another Emirati-owned airline was banned from Somaliland at the same time. There was no mention of this airline resuming flight to Somaliland and if negotiations are still ongoing.
There have been ongoing negotiations between the government of Somaliland and Fly Dubai since it was banned from Somaliland in March 2020. It has been four months since President Bihi has fired the Previous Director of Somaliland Civil Aviation Mr. Mohamed Abdi Rodol and replaced him with Mr. Omar-Sayid Abdillahi Adan Qalinle.