Somalia Rejoins Global Airline Billing System After 33 Years
Somalia has regained access to IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan after a 33-year suspension, a move officials say will modernize aviation, reduce financial risk and support wider transport reforms.
Somalia has rejoined the world’s formal air-travel settlement system after IATA restored the country’s Billing and Settlement Plan code, ending a 33-year suspension that began with the state collapse in 1991.
The reinstatement brings Somalia back into the global mechanism that handles automated billing and financial settlements between airlines and accredited travel agencies. Without it, the country had been operating on a cash-heavy, manual reconciliation system that exposed carriers to financial risk and limited Somalia’s participation in global aviation.
Officials framed the decision as both a technical upgrade and a political signal. The transport minister said the restoration reflects international confidence in Somalia’s institutional rebuilding and opens space for deeper partnerships, more airline engagement and the modernization of the domestic aviation market.
The upgrade is central to the government’s wider transport reforms, which aim to professionalize the sector, attract investment and improve air safety ratings. Similar steps have been taken over the past two years, including the return of full Somali control over its airspace, the rollout of digital navigation systems and ongoing regulatory overhauls in the civil aviation authority.
Implementation will now focus on onboarding Somali travel agencies to the IATA platform, training staff and setting up the digital infrastructure needed for automated settlements. Authorities say the system should boost airline confidence, expand ticketing options, and strengthen the local travel industry with more reliable revenue data.
The restoration is another marker of Somalia’s gradual reintegration into global systems from financial governance to security partnerships even as the country continues to face political volatility and a persistent insurgency. Government officials argue that technical gains like the BSP reinstatement show the state’s capacity to deliver reforms with long-term economic impact.
