MOGADISHU (SD) – Somali government has awarded Air Operator Certificates (AOC) to several pilots, airlines and air operators, yet another major milestone in the country’s efforts at fully controlling and regulating its aviation industry.

In a ceremony held in Mogadishu, Somali prime minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has awarded the graduates who completed the training recently in the capital.

Among the graduates are pilots and Freedom Air, a local airliner that has been in operation in 2018 in Kenya.

Roble lauded the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) for its efforts in upgrading the civil aviation sector in the country in recent years.

 He called on commercial airlines to obtain the licenses to enable them to meet local and international aviation standards.

The award of the certificates comes barely eight months after the country registered two aircrafts.

The certificates of aircraft registration were issued to Freedom Airlines and Hala Airlines. 

The two airlines currently bear the 6O (Six Oscar) prefix on their aircrafts.