The Somaliland administration has banned the United Nations from landing at or taking off from its airports, regional officials said Tuesday (May 14th).

“Starting 6:00 am on May 15th, UN flights cannot land in Somaliland airports and the planes that are grounded cannot fly out temporarily,” said Minister of Civil Aviation and Air Transport Mohamud Hashi Abdi, condemning the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for alleged non-neutrality. “Somaliland will fully manage its airspace from June 5th.”

The decision is a response to a meeting in Mogadishu on Monday between Somali federal government officials, UNDP representatives and the Nairobi-based Civil Aviation Caretaker Authority of Somalia (CACAS), announcing that Somalia will take control of its airspace by the end of 2013.

“The plan was for the ministries of aviation of Somaliland and Somalia to meet with the United Nations in Nairobi in June to discuss who will be responsible for air control,” Director General of the Somaliland Ministry of Aviation Ahmed Dalal Farah told Sabahi. “Unfortunately, UNDP did not consult us on this new decision because the agreement was to consult on what is jointly owned.”