All nations have a right to control their airspace. But currently in Somalia, this right is being challenged by a little known aviation authority.
Shortly after the Somali government collapsed, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) decided to help Somalia manage its airspace, and recruited ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization to help provide this service. UNDP and ICAO established the Caretaker Authority for Civil Aviation in Somalia, known as CACAS. The small office has been based in Nairobi since 1997 and has collected aviation fees on behalf of the Somali government, and the money is supposed to be put into a trust fund for Somalia's future authority. The mandate also allows for the revenue to be used for operations (CACAS salaries and expenses), as well as towards infrastructure development so that the inevitable transition from CACAS control to Somali control can take place.
In the past 15 years of its existence, however, there is little evidence that CACAS has done anything to build Somali capacity so that a transition can take place. CACAS has actually been doing the opposite, strengthening its own grip on Somali civil aviation. Why? Because it is a lucrative authority to have. Airliners and nations have paid tens of millions of dollars to CACAS in civil aviation fees over the past 15 years, and this money is largely unaccounted for, apart from the lavish salaries the employees receive. To ICAO's credit, the international body has recently run audits of CACAS's finances and discovered problems. It doesnt appear, however, that ICAO has done anything to fix these problems.
Its time for CACAS to be closed down. Somalia has a new central government, and President Hassan Sheikh has already publicly expressed an interest in reclaiming Somalia's civil aviation from the controversial CACAS body. The Somali government, as well as the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments, already provide civil aviation services and collect civil aviation fees for planes that land in Somali territory. This means they have some capacity already, and are able to do what CACAS is currently doing more widely. This is not to say they couldn't benefit from some infrastructure support. CACAS argues there is no clear government in Somalia - apparently treating regional governments as equal in legitimacy to the central government. Central governments hold control of civil aviation authorities, but can discuss details of operations and revenue with regional governments.
Somali control over its own civil aviation will be a major victory for the new government for political reasons, but also because it desperately needs domestic revenue. CACAS, however, will surely fight to delay such a transition, just as any organization would fight for its own survival. Nevertheless its mandate was temporary and if the international community, particularly ICAO and the UN, drag its feet on this issue, the Somali government and population will continue to perceive it as an effort to strip Somalia of its sovereignty and national revenue.
