HARGEISA (SD) — Somaliland says it is pursuing diplomatic and technical efforts to assume full control of its airspace and challenge Somalia’s electronic visa requirements for travelers heading to Hargeisa.

Somaliland’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, said the government is handling the two issues through what he described as a careful and largely confidential diplomatic process. He said Aviation and Airports Development Minister Fu’aad Ahmed Nur is leading efforts related to airspace management and remains in the United States working on the matter.

“Minister Fu’aad is wisely and secretly managing the aviation and challenges facing airspace, and we hope that he will soon achieve success,” Khadar said while speaking to members of the Somaliland community in the United States.

The minister also linked the government’s approach to its broader diplomatic strategy, saying President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Cirro” has pursued foreign-policy initiatives discreetly, with some developments becoming public only after agreements or decisions have been reached.

Khadar cited Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an example of what he described as the government’s ability to conduct diplomatic initiatives without advance public disclosure.

The airspace dispute has remained a sensitive issue between Hargeisa and Mogadishu. Somaliland argues that travelers destined for Somaliland should not be required to obtain Somalia’s electronic visa, while Mogadishu maintains its authority over Somalia’s internationally recognized airspace and immigration arrangements.

For Somaliland, gaining greater control over airspace and removing Somalia’s E-Visa requirement would represent an important assertion of its de facto sovereignty and institutional independence. Control over aviation is also economically significant because it affects international travel, airport revenues and Somaliland’s ability to manage its own entry procedures.

The government’s decision to pursue the issue quietly suggests that Hargeisa views the dispute as both a technical aviation matter and a broader diplomatic confrontation with Mogadishu. A successful outcome would strengthen Somaliland’s argument that it operates as an independent administration and could become another important element in its wider campaign for international recognition.