Saudi, UAE suspend travellers entry, flights from seven countries
Saudi Arabia has suspended flights from seven southern African countries on Friday after South Africa detected a new COVID-19 variant. All flights are set to be suspended from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana.
The decision includes suspending entry to the Kingdom for non-nationals, who come directly and indirectly from the mentioned African countries except for those who have spent a period of no less than 14 days in another country from which health procedures in the Kingdom allow entry to those coming from. This holds true, provided that the entire approved institutional quarantine procedures for a period of five days are applied to all excluded groups coming from these countries, including citizens of the Kingdom, regardless of the status of immunization.
Meanwhile, the UAE also announced on Friday, the suspension of entry of travellers from seven African countries in view of the same. The suspension of entry for travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique on all flights, as well as transit passengers arriving from them. The travel suspension will be effective from November 29.
This includes suspending the entry of travellers who were in these countries for a period of 14 days before coming to the UAE. However, flights will be allowed to transport passengers from the UAE to these countries. It will also allow the transfer of excluded groups which include official delegations and UAE citizens, diplomatic missions approved between the UAE and these countries and holders of golden visas.
