LIST: Passengers from these 17 African nations can’t use Dubai

The update was reviewed on January 2

Emirates earlier banned flights to Ghana amidst COVID-19 fears

The total number of African countries banned from entry by authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reached seventeen from eleven.

The UAE have announced six more countries to an earlier list released late last year.

The pandemic-induced travel restrictions affects passengers who have been in or transited through the respective countries in the last 14 days.

According to the latest circular posted on Emirates Airline website, the said passengers are not permitted to enter or transit through the UAE’s economic hub of Dubai.

The update was reviewed on January 2, 2022, at 16:57 (GMT +4) after an earlier one on December 28, 2021.

List of banned countries:

• Angola

• Botswana

• The Democratic Republic of Congo

• Eswatini

• Ethiopia

• Guinea

• Kenya

• Lesotho

• Mozambique

• Namibia

• Nigeria

• Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)

• Rwanda

• South Africa

• Tanzania

• Uganda

• Zimbabwe and

•Ghana

Relative to exemptions and conditions to validate same, the update notice stated, “the following passengers are exempt from the suspension and can travel to Dubai: Employees of Official Missions between the UAE and the aforesaid countries, UAE nationals, 1st degree relative(s) and their domestic/house workers/helpers and members of the Diplomatic missions between the UAE and the aforesaid countries are exempted.”

“All other exempt passengers must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate with a QR code for a test conducted at an approved facility within 48 hours of departure. Validity must be calculated from the time the sample was collected.

“They must also present a negative COVID-19 Rapid or Real Time PCR test certificate with a QR code for a test conducted at the departure airport within 06 hours of departure.

“[They] Must undergo COVID-19 PCR test on arrival and must remain in self-quarantine until they receive the test result. Only children under the age of 12 and passengers who have a moderate or severe disability are exempt from taking a COVID-19 PCR test,” the statement added.