Mogadishu (UM) – Qatar Airways made its first journey from Doha to Somalia today in spectacular style this afternoon. The maiden flight was welcomed by Somali government officials including the Minister of Aviation and Finance at Aden Abdulle International Airport. The flights between Doha and Mogadishu are scheduled for 3 days a week and like Turkish Airlines before It, it is likely to become daily flight according to Aviation insiders in Somalia.
The arrival of Qatar Airways is a significant development for Somali aviation sector and customers who will now have more choice in their journeys. It is also a reward from the State of Qatar for Somalia’s neutrality in the Gulf crisis which stands to this day with other GCC members blockading Qatar after accusing the resource rich State of supporting terrorism.
The Somali Government will argue that the arrival of Qatar Airways is a diplomatic success following positive engagements between the two governments. While this is true, Qatar has to now follow up the flights with the full delivery of the other financial and infrastructure project support it promised Somalia during the many visits of the President and Prime Minister to Qatar. For now, the arrival of Qatar Airways is a good start but the roads and other investments Qatar promised is even more important to Somalia’s stability and economic development.