Africa's leading and Ethiopia's national carrier plans to begin new flights to Mogadishu weeks after terminating its services in Somaliland region all together.
Ethiopia's Ambassador to Somalia, Mr Abdulaziz Ahmed Adan, told reporters in Mogadishu that Ethiopian will soon launch the route and restore its services to Mogadishu after 22 years.
When asked about Ethiopian's termination of its services in Somaliland, the Ambassador emphasized that it was not politically motivated but the airport in Hargeisa did not meet standards to his understanding.
Ethiopian will join a number of growing airlines flying to the Somali capital.
The airport recently received huge renovation spearheaded by the Turkish government. Just last week it was handed over to a national Turkish company that will do further upgrades and expand the airport. As well as new runways, towers and security perimeters, they will install lights so the airport operates day and night.
As well as warming relations between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu, Ethiopian sees bigger market in southern Somalia than the northern Somaliland region which has been isolated by the current Ahmed Silanyo leadership.
Apart from security ties to Somali Region of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa has little key interest in Somaliland. The trade between Ethiopia and Somaliland region is also one way traffic with Ethiopia making hard currency while Somaliland sends zero in the opposite direction.
This unbalance trade has never being addressed since Hargeisa's leadership is afraid of Ethiopia, the only country they thought was their closest ally.
Ethiopia is frustrated too with Hargeisa. For 22 years it has been pushing them to build and improve basic infrastructure so the two can officially start trading but Hargeisa has been making excuses ever since. Addis Ababa was aware of its lack of recognition but that was no excuse for Hargeisa not to even complete one single decent road between the two regions.
Even when Kuwait donated $10m Somaliland's leadership put it in their pockets rather than rehabilitated the long neglected tiny airport in Hargeisa. Failing to complete the basic runway has forced Ethiopian to abandon Somaliland all together and there is little hope the Government of Ethiopia will be anything but sympathetic.
On the other hand, the government in Mogadishu was able to get far more projects done in 18 months than Hargeisa did in 22 years.
- Hawdian News Agency
No comments:
Post a Comment