UAE Lifts Travel Ban on Southern African Countries

Due to COVID-19 Omicron variant contagion, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has joined a list of major countries that have lifted travel ban on southern African countries.

The United Arab Emirates stated yesterday that its travel ban on 12 southern African countries will be lifted completely as of January 29.

Many countries adopted this ban in November 2021 in an attempt to stop the spread of the then-new COVID-19 Omicron strain.

"From January 29, entry into the UAE for arrivals from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is allowed again," according to the UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA).

The United States and, more recently, the European Union — one of the first blocks to enforce the travel ban over the Omicron form – are among the major blocks that have now withdrawn the travel restrictions for these African states.

Due to the widespread hysteria sparked by western governments and major international media outlets over the new Omicron variety, more than 30 countries have implemented a travel restriction on southern African countries.

The African Union (AU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have slammed the enforcement of these travel prohibitions, particularly in the Republic of South Africa, which was the first country to detect and raise the alarm about the new variety. However, it is not thought to be the variant's origin.

The WHO recently founded the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO), which met in January to discuss the origins of Omicron.

In early February 2022, the SAGO group is anticipated to release a report.

In the meanwhile, the UAE has imposed restrictions on passengers from seven African nations that have not been banned. Travelers from African nations will be required to acquire a negative COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours prior to departure and a negative rapid-PCR test at the departure airport, according to UAE authorities.

Passengers will be subjected to a second PCR test once they arrive in the Emirates. Three PCR tests will be required for those travelling from Uganda, Ghana, or Rwanda.

Residents of African countries should avoid flying to the UAE if they have COVID-19 symptoms, according to the UAE.