· In its latest review of the travel ban to contain the surge in Coronavirus infections, United Arab Emirates has lifted five African countries from its ‘Red List’ of travel restrictions. These include Ghana, Angola, Uganda, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire.
· Its national carrier Emirates has started passenger services to and from Guinea (CKY), Cote d’Ivoire (ABJ), Ghana (ACC), Uganda (EBB) and the Republic of Angola (Luanda), since January 13.
In its latest review of the travel ban to contain the Coronavirus infections, United Arab Emirates has lifted five African countries from its ‘Red List’ of travel restriction. These include Ghana, Angola, Uganda, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire. Its national carrier Emirates has started passenger services to and from Guinea (CKY), Cote d’Ivoire (ABJ), Ghana (ACC), Uganda (EBB) and the Republic of Angola (Luanda), since January 13.
Kenya was hoping to be out of the travel ban list but will have to wait for some more time. There has been some controversy about the COVID test results of the Nairobi passengers. Several of the passengers from Nairobi to UAE tested positive for Covid-19 after their arrival in Dubai, though carrying negative test results. Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) director-general Gilbert Kibe alleged that corrupt officials from the Health ministry colluded with travelers to issue fake Covid-19 PCR results to aid travel to Dubai.
Kenya had witnessed a severe caseload of coronavirus from November to December. In the first week of January, its Positivity rate was about 30 percent that declined to 13% last week. The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies a country to be of high risk if the positivity rate rises above five percent and cautions countries to take necessary steps to curb the spread of the cases.
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) retaliated to the travel ban by the UAE by stopping all inbound flights from Dubai. The continued conflict could hurt the already ailing Kenyan Airways. The Dubai route had become lucrative for KQ with high demand from passengers due to the ongoing Dubai 2020 expo taking place in the UAE.
