Hargeisa (Kaab TV) — Nearly six months after the Somaliland administration reportedly received diplomatic recognition from the State of Israel, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi is said to have called for the removal of the e-visa requirement imposed on dual-nationality Somalis travelling to Hargeisa.
According to reports, President Abdullahi told Western diplomats that any return to talks with the Federal Government of Somalia would depend on the withdrawal of the e-visa policy.
The Federal Government of Somalia maintains that the e-visa requirement applies to all dual-nationality Somalis travelling to the country. Travel agencies and airlines currently require passengers travelling to Somalia to present either a valid e-visa or a Somali passport.
This month alone, more than 700 e-visas were reportedly issued to people travelling to Hargeisa to attend the May 18 celebrations marking Somaliland’s self-declared independence.
With the holiday season approaching, Somali families living in Europe and planning to travel to Hargeisa are expected to face a choice between applying for an e-visa or travelling through Ethiopia, a route that a Hargeisa-based travel agent says could increase travel costs by nearly 30 percent.
As part of a proposed compromise, the Federal Government of Somalia has reportedly offered to allow the Somaliland administration to retain revenue generated from e-visas issued to foreign nationals travelling to Hargeisa.