(3 minutes read)
• There are unconfirmed reports emanating from various sources that United Arab Emirates (UAE) has put on hold travel visas for people from select countries of Africa
• Speculation is that the current move could be triggered by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic
• In a significant move, which was hailed by some western countries and highly criticized by another set of countries, the UAE is now welcoming Israeli tourists for the first time in history and right in the middle of the pandemic
There are unconfirmed reports emanating from various sources that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has put on hold travel visas for people from select countries of Africa. This unsubstantiated news is coming from travel agencies in African and the Middle East. They claim that issuance of visas to categories of people is under animated suspension. Speculation is that the current move could be triggered by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. There are rumors that it could have been due to UAE’s normalization of political ties with Israel. www.trendnafrica.com could not check the veracity of the news.
It may be noted that neither reason has been offered for the suspension of the issuance of the visa by the UAE authorities nor Emirati authorities officially confirmed the suspension, making the rumor mills to float all types of speculations. The ban is reported to be on 11 Muslim dominated countries besides Kenya and Lebanon. While UAE state authorities are denying the existence of such a ban, it is reported, Dubai’s airport free zone confirmed the veracity of the ban to some news agencies. While further clarifications are awaited from authorities, travel agencies and airport authorities are waiting for further clarification from official agencies and authorities.
Social media has gone viral with many such reports. It may be noted that UAE has a considerable number of expatriates working from various countries in Asia, Africa and SouthEast Asia. Kenya, which is also reported to be included in the ban list, is seeking official level clarifications from Emirati authorities about the ban. Some travel agencies in Kenya have reported that their clients travelling to Emirates were blocked from entering the country.
However, in a significant move, which was hailed by some western countries and highly criticized by another set of countries, the UAE is now welcoming Israeli tourists for the first time in history and right in the middle of the pandemic. Undeniably, the seven countries in the UAE are now experiencing a number of business shutdowns and lay-offs, which could be another reason for tha ban.
