UAE Lifts Flights Ban On Nigeria

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) says it will lift the ban on
transit passenger flights from six countries, including Nigeria,
effective from August 5, 2021.

The National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority (NCEMA)
announced this on Tuesday via its official Twitter handle.

In February, the UAE had banned transit flights with Nigerians
on board from its airports – due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.

Also, authorities in Nigeria and UAE had been engaging in
diplomatic discussions over issues relating to the COVID-19
protocol.

The UAE authorities had instructed Nigerian travellers at the
Lagos and Abuja airports to take another PCR test on arrival in
Dubai.

But Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, criticised the
decision and termed it “discriminatory profiling” of Nigerian
travellers.

He had said that the UAE is claiming instances of fake COVID-19
test results from Nigeria, explaining that there are fake results
in UAE, Germany, Italy, and globally.

According to the statement, NCEMA said that passengers would be
able to transit through its airports from Thursday as long as they
present negative PCR tests taken 72 hours before departure.

“Travel for transit passengers from all countries from which
transit passengers have been suspended will be resumed in advance
provided that the passenger’s last destination is accepted with a
laboratory check-up within 72 hours of departure and state airports
will allocate special lounges for transit passengers,” the tweet
reads.

“Emergencies, crises and civil aviation announce the exclusion
of new categories of passengers from some of the banned countries,
including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda, as
of August 5.

“These categories include those with valid residency permits who
have received full vaccination doses in the UAE and 14 days have
passed since receiving the second dose and who have vaccination
certificates approved by the official authorities in the
country.

“Medical personnel working in the country will be excluded;
including doctors, nurses, technicians from restaurants and
non-restaurants, and those working in the educational sector in the
country who teach in universities, colleges, schools and
institutes; from the vaccinated and non-vaccinated categories.

“Students studying in the country, humanitarian cases who hold
valid residency and workers in federal and local government
agencies, and cases of completing treatment in the country, whether
they are vaccinated or not, will also be excluded.

“All these categories will be required to submit a request on
the website of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship
to obtain the necessary approvals in addition to the certificates
of vaccination certified by the relevant authorities in the country
for the categories from which these certificates are required.

“The excluded groups will be obligated to submit a prior PCR
test within (48) hours from the date of departure, provided that
the tests are from accredited laboratories carrying a QR Code, and
conduct a quick laboratory test before boarding the plane.

“In addition to applying precautionary and preventive measures
to receive arrivals, including quarantine and PCR checks upon and
after arrival, as well as follow-up and health monitoring of
arrivals.”

While the federal government had stated that the ban will
continue, Emirates airlines also pushed its suspension of flights
to and from Nigeria till August 7, 2021.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) says it will lift the ban on
transit passenger flights from six countries, including Nigeria,
effective from August 5, 2021.

The National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority (NCEMA)
announced this on Tuesday via its official Twitter handle.

In February, the UAE had banned transit flights with Nigerians
on board from its airports – due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.

Also, authorities in Nigeria and UAE had been engaging in
diplomatic discussions over issues relating to the COVID-19
protocol.

The UAE authorities had instructed Nigerian travellers at the
Lagos and Abuja airports to take another PCR test on arrival in
Dubai.

But Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, criticised the
decision and termed it “discriminatory profiling” of Nigerian
travellers.

He had said that the UAE is claiming instances of fake COVID-19
test results from Nigeria, explaining that there are fake results
in UAE, Germany, Italy, and globally.

According to the statement, NCEMA said that passengers would be
able to transit through its airports from Thursday as long as they
present negative PCR tests taken 72 hours before departure.

“Travel for transit passengers from all countries from which
transit passengers have been suspended will be resumed in advance
provided that the passenger’s last destination is accepted with a
laboratory check-up within 72 hours of departure and state airports
will allocate special lounges for transit passengers,” the tweet
reads.

“Emergencies, crises and civil aviation announce the exclusion
of new categories of passengers from some of the banned countries,
including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda, as
of August 5.

“These categories include those with valid residency permits who
have received full vaccination doses in the UAE and 14 days have
passed since receiving the second dose and who have vaccination
certificates approved by the official authorities in the
country.

“Medical personnel working in the country will be excluded;
including doctors, nurses, technicians from restaurants and
non-restaurants, and those working in the educational sector in the
country who teach in universities, colleges, schools and
institutes; from the vaccinated and non-vaccinated categories.

“Students studying in the country, humanitarian cases who hold
valid residency and workers in federal and local government
agencies, and cases of completing treatment in the country, whether
they are vaccinated or not, will also be excluded.

“All these categories will be required to submit a request on
the website of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship
to obtain the necessary approvals in addition to the certificates
of vaccination certified by the relevant authorities in the country
for the categories from which these certificates are required.

“The excluded groups will be obligated to submit a prior PCR
test within (48) hours from the date of departure, provided that
the tests are from accredited laboratories carrying a QR Code, and
conduct a quick laboratory test before boarding the plane.

“In addition to applying precautionary and preventive measures
to receive arrivals, including quarantine and PCR checks upon and
after arrival, as well as follow-up and health monitoring of
arrivals.”

While the federal government had stated that the ban will
continue, Emirates airlines also pushed its suspension of flights
to and from Nigeria till August 7, 2021.