This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
Published on July 7, 2020, a cargo plane carrying 13.6 tonnes of khat from Kenya to Somaliland was turned back by Somali authorities, sparking outrage among miraa traders.
The plane, which had received clearance to land in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, was denied entry due to COVID-19 restrictions, according to Somalia-based news sites.
However, the move has been met with skepticism by miraa traders, who claim that the restrictions are an excuse to block the cargo.
Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, is a major consumer of Ethiopian khat, but a shortage has been caused by ethnic unrest in Ethiopia's Oromia region.
The cargo plane, Flight 5YMSA, had overflight and landing clearance from Somaliland Civil Aviation and Airports Authority, but was forced to land at Wajir International Airport instead.
