Pack your bags and get ready to travel to the EU. Member states have agreed to lift travel bans on African countries including Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, after more than a month.
The decision to remove the air travel ban came from France, which currently holds the union’s presidency. France said although the ban is lifted, travellers will still be subject to heath measures applicable to Third World countries.
The EU is following in the footsteps of the UK, US and others in reducing measures they had adopted to curb the spread of the omicron variant. The ban was introduced in November last year, shortly after the omicron variant was discovered in South Africa.
The European Union is not the only country to lift air travel bans. This week Mauritius also lifted their ban allowing South Africans to return to one of their favourite regional destinations.
TRAVEL BAN LIFTED on AFRICA
— Mauritius Island (@MauritiusGuide) January 6, 2022
As of Friday 7 January 2022, the Covid-19 travel ban imposed by Mauritius on the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia will be lifted, flights from these countries can resume. pic.twitter.com/fm2l5sVjfI
Turkey also lifted its ban on SA, however they have set out a number of rules to abide by adults and children alike.
The Norwegian government also rescinded its travel ban on the eight Southern African countries. Travellers are no longer required to test for Covid-19 before departure. Norway also put an end to mandatory quarantine for travellers which means the 10 day self-isolation after arrival has been scrapped. Travellers however must fill in an entry registration declaration form, test for Covid-19 on landing and show proof either of full vaccination or recovery from the virus.
Those who are not fully vaccinated must show documentation of a negative test result taken before arrival.