The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the suspension of all inbound flights for national and international carriers and transit passengers from Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia from Saturday, December 25, effective 7.30 p.m.

This includes suspending the entry of travellers who were in Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia, during a period of 14 days before coming to the UAE. Flight operations will continue to transport passengers from the UAE to these countries.

The development was contained in a joint statement issued on Thursday by the UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

The authorities said, It will also allow the transfer of excluded groups from Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia to the UAE with the application of precautionary measures, which include UAE nationals and their first-degree relatives, as well as accredited diplomatic missions between the UAE and the affected countries’ official delegations and golden residency holders .

The excluded groups will be obligated to take preventive measures, which include a pre-laboratory examination PCR within 48 hours and a rapid examination (Rapid-PCR) on the airport campus within 6 hours from the time of departure, whenever possible, in addition to a PCR laboratory examination at the airport upon arrival.

It also requires citizens of the country and their first-degree relatives, diplomatic missions and holders of golden residency to adhere to a 10-day quarantine and conduct an examination on the ninth day of entering the country.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed that travellers coming from Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, through other countries are required to have a period of stay in those other countries for at least 14 days in order to be allowed to enter the country.

It also prevents UAE nationals from travelling to Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia, with the exception of official state delegations, emergency medical cases, and study missions.

In addition, the two authorities announced new requirements for coming to the country from Uganda and Ghana via direct flights, where a pre-laboratory examination (PCR) will be requested within 48 hours, and a rapid examination (Rapid-PCR) will be conducted on the airport campus within 6 hours from the time of departure.

“It will also be required of those coming from these countries via transit flights to conduct a pre-laboratory examination PCR within 48 hours and to conduct a rapid examination (Rapid-PCR) on the campus of the main destination airport, departing from within 6 hours from the time of departure, in addition to the necessity of conducting a rapid examination. PCR) is additional on the campus of the airport of transit countries before entering the UAE”, the aviation authorities added.

The authority called on all passengers affected by the decision to follow up and communicate with the airlines associated with them to modify and schedule their flights to ensure their safe return to their final destinations without any delay or other obligations.