UAE to lift entry, transit ban on passengers from 12 African countries

FILE PHOTO: General view of a Dubai duty free closed shop at Dubai International Airport, as Emirates airline resumed limited outbound passenger flights amid outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Dubai, UAE April 27, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates will lift an entry and transit ban on on Saturday on travellers who had recently visited South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and eight other African countries.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) said late on Wednesday it was lifting the ban on those who had visited certain African countries in the previous 14 days, imposed due to the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

The other countries are Tanzania, Republic of Congo, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Those travelling from African countries will have to obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours prior to departure and a negative rapid-PCR test at the departure airport.

Passengers will also be tested on arrival.

Those travelling from Uganda, Ghana and Rwanda will also have to take the three tests.

The changes come into affect at 2:30 pm Saturday.

(Writing by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Kim Coghill)