Abu Dhabi, UAE – The United Arab Emirates has suspended the issuance of tourist and work visas for citizens of nine countries, including Somalia and Sudan, in a move that could have far-reaching social and economic consequences for Somalis.
For Somalia, the suspension is particularly significant. The UAE has long been a top destination for Somali workers, traders, and students, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi serving as hubs for business and employment.
Thousands of Somali expatriates are engaged in sectors ranging from logistics and construction to retail and domestic work, and their remittances are a lifeline for families back home. Somalia receives over $2 billion annually in remittances, a portion of which originates from workers in the Gulf states.
Any disruption in employment opportunities threatens to squeeze household incomes and deepen poverty at a time when Somalia is already grappling with conflict, food insecurity, and climate shocks.
Beyond remittances, the ban is expected to slow down small-scale trade networks. Somali entrepreneurs frequently travel to Dubai for imports of consumer goods, electronics, and clothing for resale in Mogadishu, Hargeisa, and Bosaso. With tourist and business visas on hold, that flow of goods and personal investment could weaken, adding pressure to Somalia’s fragile economy.
Diplomatically, the decision comes at a delicate time. Relations between Mogadishu and Abu Dhabi have been warming after years of tension, with recent cooperation on development projects and humanitarian aid. The visa halt risks straining those ties unless a solution is negotiated.
For many Somalis, the UAE ban is more than a bureaucratic restriction—it is a barrier that cuts off livelihoods, disrupts family plans, and narrows pathways of opportunity in a region where mobility is survival.