Somalia has repudiated reports that it is planning to hand over airspace administration to a foreign entity as the country is gearing up to upgrade its airspace.
In response to the media circulated reports, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister, Duran Ahmed Farah said the accusations were false.
US based company has proposed to collect flights and related fees for Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA).
The company has also submitted its proposal of running the airspace.
The Int’l Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association of airlines globally is tasked with the collection of the fees.
Vector Airport Systems and Gossamer Crossing based in Washington area sent a proposal to SCAA in 2021 to offer collection of overflight and landing fees at airports under SCAA jurisdiction and ‘other fees as desired by SCAA’ such as customs and aircraft parking.
According to the proposal, the two companies will be entitled to 20% of all revenues it collects on behalf of SCAA. A 1995 agreement between ICAO and IATA handed the responsibility of collecting the fees to IATA on behalf of Somalia.
However, there has been a tussle on fees collection between IATA, SCAA and the Turkish ports operator Favori LLC which was granted a concession by the Somali government in 2013 to manage Ade Adde Airport in Mogadishu.
