The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted travel restrictions imposed late last year on travellers from Namibia and 11 other African countries at the height of global concerns over the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
The UAE banned flights from Botswana, Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe in November 2021.
The UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority announced late Thursday that it was lifting the ban and flights to and from the 12 countries would resume from Saturday.
“From January 29, entry into the UAE for arrivals from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe is allowed again.”
However, travellers from these countries would have to obtain at least three negative COVID-19 tests.
The first one will be a negative COVID-19 PCR test obtained 48 hours prior to departure and another negative rapid-PCR test at the airport of in the country where they departed from. Passengers have to pass another PCR test upon arrival in the Emirates.
JN/APA