A plane carrying a load of khat from Ethiopia landed at Mogadishu’s airport on Saturday, October 17.
The plane, which is registered to National Airways PLC, was the first from Ethiopia since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
The Federal Government of Somalia had earlier banned domestic and international flights thus preventing the importation of khat.
Today’s plane was the first to deliver khat from Ethiopia to Somalia.
The government of Somalia has imposed a ban on similar flights from Kenya. Any plane from Kenya arriving into the country with khat is often turned back immediately.
Kenyan authorities and khat traders have implored the government of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo for a change of heart without much success.
