How to arrange a Somalia visitJournalists wishing to travel to Somalia can use the United Nations Common Air Services (UNCAS) which flies in and out of Somalia as a joint operation catering for UN and partner NGO staff. Priority is given to UN personnel but media can purchase their own tickets if there’s availability. Travelling on these flights journalists are not “sponsored” or travelling in any way under the aegis of the UN – they do not come under any UN security protocol - while en route to or from, or while in, Somalia. Prior to travelling they are required to sign a waiver form releasing the UN from any liability, including for evacuation. Note: Journalists wishing to travel to Northwest Somalia ('Somaliland') or Northeast Somalia ('Puntland') need to forward scanned image of passport page with key details for visa processing. In addition they should also send the following details by fax/email to confirm the following details on passport: name, nationality, number, place of issue, date of issue, profession and date of birth. Please send these details at least 20 days before travel to Somalia from Nairobi to give time for processing. To get current rates for an itinerary and make a booking contact the UNCAS Coordinator, based at the office of the World Food Programme (WFP) Somalia in Nairobi, Kenya, Tel + 254 20 7622091. At UNICEF’s Nairobi office the booking can be made for you through our Flight Coordinator (Contacts: Rachel Muaka/Rose Kore), who will take payment from you to UNICEF in form of cash or US dollar cheque. A round trip from Nairobi into southern Somalia has a cost of $1000-1500 depending on number of destinations. Return trip to Northwest Somalia ('Somaliland') is closer to $2200. Departure is from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya, Terminal 1. Look for the UNCAS sign on the check-in desk. Check-in is at 5.30am – usually for a 7.00 am departure timing (NB: check this with a phone call on evening before flight). Airport departure tax is payable at UNCAS check-in (US $20 cash). The flights are on small Beechcraft planes which do not provide toilet facilities. Bottled water is normally available but no meal service provided. Flying time to Jowhar, the location of the main UNICEF Office in Central Somalia is 2.5 hours approximately, and the same time approximately onward from there to Hargeisa, the capital of 'Somaliland'. Jowhar is 90 km north of Mogadishu which is served by UNCAS through K50 Airport which is about one hour from Mogadishu. UNCAS flight schedule (as of July 2006) Sunday: Hargeisa/Belet Weyne/Wajid/Nairobi/ Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday: Hargeisa/Nairobi What happens when I arrive? If you are on a UNICEF-facilitated press trip (ie you have a pre-arranged visit programme coordinated through UNICEF Somalia Communication Section – in Nairobi, Kenya) you will get assistance on arrival through airport, and transport / accommodation arrangements will have been organized prior to your arrival, along with outline programme for the visit. If you are travelling independently you will need pre-arranged transport at all locations. For car hire, see “Contacts” section towards the end of this document. Travel in most parts of Central/Southern Zone requires armed guards. These are usually hired together with the vehicle. When visiting parts of the zone UNICEF staff can advise and pre-arrange your vehicle and security guard hire. This will cost about US $50 per day and will be settled by you directly. An interpreter costs about US $20 per day. When visiting Mogadishu you can pre-arrange for a “Fixer” who will 'Fix' for you car hire, security, interpretation and hotel accommodation. This – including fuel – will be about US $250 per day. However, figure may be slightly hire. The hotel will cost about US $70 per day including 3 meals. See the “Contacts” section below for more on this. In July 2006, the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) that now controls Mogadishu issued new travel guidelines for foreign visitors/press to Mogadishu. They are expected to notify the UIC at least two weeks before arrival. Visitors should liaise with a Fixer to work out travel modalities in conformity with the new rules. Contacts for some Fixers are included in this document. In Northwest Somalia ('Somaliland') , a visa costing US $20 and arranged on arrival is required – you will need to organize this directly if you are travelling independently. In Northeast and Northwest Somalia you will need to pay $20 at each departure and entry at local airports. In Jowhar, Central Somalia, you need to pay $50 entry tax at local airport. Are there other flights? Yes – there are some Somali airlines (not recognised by IATA) and a few private ones flying between Somalia/Ethiopia/Djibouti/Yemen/Dubai. From Addis Ababa there is a commercial flight schedule on Ethiopian Airlines to Hargeisa, Somaliland. From Nairobi Daallo Airlines fly into Mogadishu (Contact office in Nairobi, Kenya: Tel: +254 20 31 73 18) From Nairobi it is also possible to fly into Somalia on a “khat” flight (flights that deliver khat, a widely chewed amphetamine akin to the coca leaf of South America). These depart daily from Wilson Airport in Nairobi taking deliveries from Kenya. Flights go to various locations in Somalia especially in the Central/Southern zone. These flights are usually unregulated and travellers taking them do so at their own risk. Ethiopian Airlines flight schedule to Hargeisa, Northwest Somalia ('Somaliland') Nairobi - Hargeisa NAIROBI– HARGEISA MON/FRI/SAT/SUN NAIROBI - ADDIS 1255 1455 ET 800 TUE/WED/THU NAIROBI - ADDIS 1845 2045 ET 802 MON/FRI/SAT/SUN NAIROBI - ADDIS 1915 2115 ET 802 TUE/THU/SAT/SUN ADDIS - HARGEISA 1005 1210 ET 308 HARGEISA - NAIROBI TUE/THU/SAT/SUN HARGEISA - ADDIS 1230 1435 ET 309 DAILY ADDIS - NAIROBI 0955 1155 ET 801 MON/FRI/SAT/SUN ADDIS - NAIROBI 1615 1815 ET 803 ***Please note that above schedules are subject to change.
In Central and Southern Somalia UNICEF will arrange accommodation in its guesthouse for journalists whose trips it facilitates. Space is limited and journalists may be put up in guesthouses run by other UN agencies or NGOs. For independent travellers who give prior warning, UNICEF can assist in making arrangements for staying in its or these other guesthouses. The charge at the UNICEF and other guesthouses is US $25 -35 a day, at UNICEF this includes all meals. You settle the bills yourself direct with the guesthouse in US $ cash. In the north there are guesthouses in Hargeisa (Northwest), Bosasso (Northeast) and accommodation can be available for journalists with prior arrangements. The rates here are the same as Jowhar. In Hargeisa comfortable accommodation can be found at the Mansoor and Ambassador Hotels at a cost of US $30 per day including breakfast. Similarly, in Bossaso accommodation is available at the Panorama Hotel. See “Contacts”. What about going to Mogadishu? In June 2006, Mogadishu came under the control of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) which kicked out a loose alliance of factional leaders who previously had the city under their grip. A period of relative calm has come to fore. However, it is vital for visitors to maintain caution while travelling within Mogadishu. The city is open for business, has a rapidly developing commercial and communications base and the international airport has for the first time in more than a decade taken in flights with focus now on having the sea-port up and running again. UNICEF has a liaison office in Mogadishu manned by national staff. This office will help to arrange a programme for media to visit UNICEF projects if requested in advance through a 'Fixer'. Transport with fuel, accommodation, security, interpretation, cameraman should all be pre-arranged by the journalist prior to arrival and payment made in US $ direct to the 'Fixer'. See “What happens when I arrive?” above and “Contacts”. Advice: think safe, act safe, be safe… Do not go out after dark… Be guided by and follow what your local contact person/fixer tells you. This information is given without prejudice on behalf of UNICEF and/or its agents as to its accuracy or reliability. Journalists using this information are asked to make independent verifications of it. CONTACTS: UNICEF ZONAL OFFICES: If you are interested in seeking assistance directly from the Zonal offices for arrangements regarding a visit, please FIRST contact the UNICEF Somalia Support Centre (USSC) Communication Section in Nairobi, Kenya, to discuss what you want to do. Making this prior contact will:
Zonal Offices' contacts Hargeisa: Tel: +252 252 213 4600
FLIGHTS: UNCAS Flight Coordinator: Tel: +254 20 7622091
Contact: Khader Aden Hussein (CEO) Facilities: Business Centre with Fax and Internet. Rental for car hire arranged at $10 per hour inclusive of driver and fuel. 2. Maansoor, Hargeisa, Northwest Somalia ('Somaliland'): 3. Panorama, Bosasso, Northeast Somalia ('Puntland'): Tel: +252 523 5774 4. International Village, Bossaso, Northeast Somalia ('Puntland'): UNICEF office can provide contacts.
Media visits to drought in S.Somalia - update March '06 Following effects of the worst drought in about a decade, 1.7 million people are in need of critical assisance in Somalia in addition to another 400,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). For media/journalists interested in visiting Southern Somalia which is currently most-affected please find useful tips in the attachments below in both Word and PDF. [PDF] [Word] (PDF documents require Acrobat Reader to view.) |
