The African Union boss Moussa Faki Mahamat says the world owes Africa responsibility to lift travel restrictions imposed on the continent over the new Covid-19 variant.

At a conference between the African Union and the UN on Wednesday, Mr Faki said there was no “common sense” or scientific reasoning behind the travel bans, especially since it has been learnt it existed in many places long before South African scientists isolated it.

“We have told UN agencies that there is no scientific basis for these travel bans, it has been found that this variant was circulating in Europe before it was identified in South Africa,” Faki told an audience in New York at a forum to commemorate slavery.

“We condemn and challenge the travel measures that have no basis in science nor common sense. To condemn a country because its scientists alerted the world of the prevalence of a new variant, is immoral. In the face of a common enemy, the life of a human being should be the same,” he added.

Faki spoke in the wake of the discovery of a new variant of Covid-19 virus now known as Omicron. South African scientists announced last week they had discovered the variant that is more infectious and has various mutations from the original form. And although South Africa itself had recorded an increase in infection rate, there has been further proof this version had existed in different places including Germany, in communities that had no travel history to South Africa.

Most of the countries have however imposed a blockade on travel from Africa, causing anger to the continent. Last week, the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said the history of the pandemic had showed lockdowns work less effectively compared to physical distancing, mask wearing, anitization and vaccination. It didn’t stop the US, Germany, UK, and Canada from restricting travel from South Africa.

On Wednesday, Bangaldesh caused more furore after restricting travellers from the entire African continent ostensibly to prevent admission of the new variant.

The New Age newspaper, citing the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Abdul Momen, said the country had instructed its missions in Africa to restrict giving travel papers to travellers from the continent. Those who arrive from the continent will be forced into a 14-day quarantine at their own cost.

“Any incoming people from Africa would have to stay in institutional quarantine managed by the government for 14 days on self-payment,” the paper reported. Bangladesh has embassies in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Mauritius, Morocco, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.

There were reports the government in Bangladesh had imposed tougher restrictions, including planting red flags on the roofs of apartments where those arriving from Africa are staying and ensuring they don’t leave the compound until the quarantine period is over.

The country though was gearing ahead with a ‘peace conference’ due in the capital Dhaka on Saturday and had invited prominent personalities like the Indian Nobel Peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi, former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, former Arab League secretary general Amr Moussa, as well as former British prime minister Gordon Brown.

Source: The East African

The Hague (AFP),– The Omicron coronavirus variant was present in Europe before the first cases were reported in South Africa, new data from the Netherlands showed Tuesday, as Latin America reported its first two cases in Brazil.

In the week since the new virus strain was reported to the World Health Organization by South Africa, dozens of countries around the world have responded with travel restrictions — most targeting southern African nations.

But the World Health Organization warned Tuesday — as Canada expanded its restrictions to also include Egypt and Nigeria — that “blanket” travel bans risked doing more harm than good.

And the likely futility of broad travel restrictions was underscored as Dutch authorities reported that Omicron was present in the country before South Africa officially reported its first cases, on November 25.

The new variant — whose high number of mutations the WHO believes may make it more transmissible or resistant to vaccines — was found in two Dutch test samples from November 19 and 23, with one having no travel history.

With countries now on alert for the Omicron variant, a clearer picture is emerging by the day of where it has been circulating, and for how long.

So far, well over a dozen countries and territories have detected cases, including Australia, Britain, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy and Portugal.

Among European countries, Belgium and Germany have both reported cases of the new strain prior to November 25, but both linked to foreign travel.

Latin America reported its first two cases Tuesday — in people who traveled from South Africa to Brazil — and a first case was confirmed in Japan, one day after it barred all foreign arrivals.

– Vaccine-resistant? –

While much is still unknown about the Omicron variant — it could take weeks to determine whether and to what extent it is vaccine-resistant — it has highlighted that the global fight against Covid-19 is far from over.

Asian, European and US markets all fell on Tuesday, while the benchmark US oil price tumbled more than five percent after the boss of vaccine manufacturer Moderna warned existing jabs might be less effective against the new variant.

“All the scientists I’ve talked to … are like ‘this is not going to be good’,” Moderna boss Stephane Bancel told the Financial Times, warning against a “material drop” in the effectiveness of current jabs against Omicron.

Moderna, US drugmaker Pfizer and the backers of Russian vaccine Sputnik V are already working on an Omicron-specific vaccine.

On the treatment front, meanwhile, a panel of US health experts voted Tuesday to endorse Merck’s Covid pill for high-risk adult patients, which is already authorised in Britain.

– ‘Heavy burden’ –

In a briefing to WHO member states, the body’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was understandable for countries to seek to protect their citizens “against a variant we don’t yet fully understand”.

But he called for the global response to be “calm, coordinated and coherent”, urging nations to “take rational, proportional risk-reduction measures”.

The UN agency cautioned in a travel advisory that “blanket” travel bans risked placing a “heavy burden on lives and livelihoods” and could ultimately dissuade countries from sharing data about the evolving virus — as South Africa did in reporting the latest variant.

But it did advise that people not fully vaccinated and considered vulnerable to Covid-19, including over-60s, should put off travel to areas with community transmission of the virus — after correcting a previous statement that indicated all over-60s should defer travel.

– Tougher measures –

Omicron has emerged as much of the world was already bracing for a new winter wave of the pandemic — leaving even nations with high vaccination rates scrambling to stem infections and prevent health services from being overwhelmed.

Governments, particularly in western Europe, have already reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing, social-distancing measures, curfews or lockdowns — leaving businesses fearing another grim Christmas.

In Germany, incoming Chancellor Olaf Scholz said parliament would vote on making Covid vaccines compulsory by the end of the year — and a source from Scholz’s party told AFP he had “signalled his sympathy” for such a rule.

Greece went ahead Tuesday in making vaccines compulsory for over-60s, while Norway will offer booster shots to all adults before Easter, as preferable to a lockdown.

Britain meanwhile set a target of delivering third jabs to all adults within two months, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying vaccination centres would be “popping up like Christmas trees.”

Source: AFP

Kenya has no immediate plans to ban international flights following the detection of the Covid-19 super variant.

Health Principal Secretary (PS) Susan Mochache said the government has stepped surveillance in all entry points across the country to monitor the spread of the new Omicron variant.

The PS noted that the country’s economy should be kept running during this Covid-19 pandemic.

“We will not stop international flights. But we are monitoring all people travelling from countries that have reported several cases of the new variant to ensure that our people are safe,” said Ms Mochache.

Speaking at Nyaura Primary School in Kisii County on Sunday, she said that Kenyans should not panic.

“We are not taking chances. We are doing everything possible to ensure that all citizens are safe from the new variant,” said Ms Mochache.

Coronavirus variant

She said the new Omicron variant, which has largely been reported in southern Africa, is a concern globally and Kenya is keenly monitoring the situation.

Already, the UK has imposed travel bans on South Africa and its neighbours Zimbabwe, eSwatini, Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana following the emergence of the new coronavirus variant.

But the South African government has since reacted to the UK, saying the move was “rushed.”    

Direct flights from the affected countries have been banned from entering the UK.  

This comes after at least 59 cases of the new strain, the B.1.1.529, which is feared to be more transmissible and evades vaccines, was detected in South Africa and Botswana as well as Hong Kong.

Ms Mochache asked Kenyans to shun propaganda doing rounds in social media against the Covid-19 vaccines.

“Let us ignore the propaganda and take the vaccine. The Kenyan government will continue putting measures to avoid the spread of Covid-19. There are enough vaccines for all Kenyans and we will continue with our sensitisation campaigns to ensure all Kenyans take the jab,” said the Health PS.

Several mutations

She explained that there were several mutations of the Covid-19 virus globally and that Kenyans should not lower the guard.

”While the government is doing everything possible to manage the spread of Covid-19, Kenyans should observe the Covid-19 protocols,” said Ms Mochache.

She notes that social distancing, wearing of face masks correctly and handwashing remain key in preventing the spread of Coronavirus.

The PS said that from statistics there are very minimal deaths or severe illness for people who are vaccinated against Covid-19. She said that several strides had been achieved in the fight against the coronavirus.  

”The government is keen on ensuring that economic activities are not affected, that is why we are not supporting the reintroduction of tough containment measures,” said Ms Mochache.

Source: The East African

The Chinese government has dismissed as “illogical propaganda” reports that they are confiscating facilities from African states because of indebtedness.

According to China’s Director-General for African Affairs Wu Peng, the money offered to African states for projects is not a debt trap as has been reported by people seeking to put China in a bad light.

“Which of the Chinese projects in Africa have been confiscated in Africa? NONE! The hype surrounding the Chinese ‘debt trap’ in Africa have NO factual basis and is being pushed on malicious grounds”, Peng said.

Today, China is the biggest lender to African economies, sinking a staggering $150billion in different African economies through its Belt and Road Initiative.

The situation could be worsened by the Coronavirus Pandemic which has left many African economies on their knees, which statistics show China could invest another $180 billion in African economies in the next five years.

China for instance owns three-quarters of Djibouti (75%) according to informal reports, while countries like Ethiopia ($13.7b) Kenya ($9.8b), Nigeria ($4b), Zambia ($6.3b), and DRC ($7.4b) continue to struggle to repay the huge Chinese debts.

China has recently been accused of using bad debt policies in Africa, citing a lack of transparency in loan agreements and consequent pressure from China to debtors to forcibly support their geostrategic interests in case they fail to service their debts.

China has also been accused of entering secret negotiations in which contracts on projects must be awarded to China-government-owned companies who charge far higher than the available market price.

These reports, China has dismissed as politically motivated.

“Facts and data fully show that this accusation is purely politically driven,” he said. “Its real intention is to drive a wedge between China and Africa’s friendly and cooperative relations,” Zhou Liujun, vice chairman of China International Development Cooperation Agency said.

Speaking about the same situation, Wu Jianghao, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, China wondered why money given by Western countries is considered as assistance for development while that given by China is a debt trap.

“Why is money offered by Western countries to developing countries considered ‘assistance for development, while the money offered by China is labeled as ‘debt trap’? This view is NOT logic or correct!”, Jianghao said.

Two years ago, the government of Uganda dismissed reports that China (one of its biggest lenders) was planning to confiscate its assets over repayment hurdles.

According to the Auditor General’s report, Uganda’s Public Debt rose from $9.1billion in 2017 to $11.1billion in 2018. The same report indicated some loans were risky due to hard conditions placed on them.

China apparently owns $3.1billion from Uganda’s public debt, however, the Minister of Finance Matia Kasaijja has recently reiterated it is impossible for China to confiscate Uganda’s assets.

“China taking over assets? … in Uganda, I have told you, as long as some of us are still in charge, unless there is really a catastrophe, and which I don’t see at all, that will make this economy go behind. So, … I’m not worried about China taking assets. They can do it elsewhere, I don’t know. But here, I don’t think it will come,” Kasaijja said during an interview with Voice of America in 2019.

However, in April this year, Kasaijja indicated he will approach major creditors like China and negotiate a possible loan repayment suspension as the country’s public debt shot to $18billion as of last year.

“I will not hesitate to approach them and say, you guys can suspend servicing these loans for say, maybe two years?” Kasaijja told Reuters.

This notwithstanding, the Uganda government has still failed to negotiate a $2.2billion debt from China’s Exim Bank after failing to agree on a condition to repay the loan from revenue accrued from the sale of its crude oil.
In a reply to China on this, Kasaijja said “we totally refused that, we cannot mortgage our oil.”

Kasaijja however was at the forefront as Uganda negotiated a Shs1.1trillion with Chinese Exim Bank for the expansion and upgrading of Entebbe International Airport.

While the loan was approved, many officials in government were not comfortable with the clauses of the loan repayment agreement, mostly those that gave China Bank so much power to determine budgets, inspect Civil Aviation Accounts and approve withdrawals from Civil Aviation accounts.

Indeed, the state minister for Finance, Amos Lugoloobi confirmed that that loan was poorly negotiated but added there was no cause for alarm as the airport would not be attached.
Civil Aviation officials called for the amendment of the debt repayment provisions, citing that the airport risked potential attachment by China.

Source: Nile Post

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on governments to adopt “simple, predictable and practical” measures to safely facilitate the ramping-up of international travel as borders re-open.

Specifically, the trade body urged governments to focus on simplified health protocols, digital solutions to process health credentials and Covid-19 measures proportionate to risk levels.

The vision to address the complexity is outlined in the newly released policy paper.

“As governments are establishing processes to re-open borders, in line with what they agreed in the ministerial declaration of the ICAO High Level Conference of Covid-19, the blueprint will help them with good practices and practical considerations.

“Over the next months we need to move from individual border openings to the restoration of a global air transport network that can reconnect communities and facilitate economic recovery,” said Conrad Clifford, IATA deputy director general.

The document aims to facilitate the efficient ramping-up of global connectivity.

“We must have processes in place to safely and efficiently manage the ramping-up of international travel as borders re-open.

“With over 18 months of pandemic operational experience and traveller feedback we know that a laser-focus on simplicity, predictability and practicality is essential.

“That is not the reality today.

“Over 100,000 Covid-19 related measures have been implemented by governments worldwide.

“This complexity is a barrier to global mobility that is exacerbated by the inconsistencies these measures have created among states,” said Clifford.

Key recommendations include the removal of all travel barriers (including quarantine and testing) for those fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine.

The management of travel health credentials (vaccination or testing certificates) should also be handled digitally, IATA argued, enabling travellers to complete the process in advance so that they can arrive at the airport ready-to-travel.

This will facilitate automated check-in processes, reducing airport queuing and wait-times.

“Travel is important – pre-pandemic some 88 million livelihoods were directly connected to aviation.

“And the inability to travel freely by air has impacted the quality of life for billions of people.

“We know that travellers feel confident with the implementation of the Covid-19 safety measures.

“But they have clearly told us that the current travel experience needs to improve with better information, simpler processing and digital solutions,” concluded Clifford.

Source: Breaking Travel News

A Purchasing Managers’ Index compiled by IHS Markit rose to 55.7 in October from 53.3 in September, above the 50-mark separating growth from contraction and signalling a significant expansion in the Gulf country’s non-oil private sector. The increase was driven by faster increase in output and new orders. 

“The Expo 2020 finally began in the UAE at the start of October and brought a highly welcome upsurge in growth across the non-oil private sector,” said David Owen, economist at IHS Markit. “The key test for the UAE economy will be whether this initial uplift in demand from the Expo can be sustained over the coming months.”

Dubai Resets After Covid-Ravaged Year With $7 Billion Expo

After a year’s delay, Dubai is hoping Expo attracts enough tourists to help solidify a nascent economic recovery. According to IHS, the event drove sales last month in multiple sectors, including tourism. 

New orders growth was substantial, driven by an increase in demand from Expo.

Companies increased output levels to the most since July 2019 as the loosening of Covid-19 restrictions helped boost activity.

Employment figures showed only subdued growth despite increasing pressure on business capacity.

Purchase costs saw a slight uptick, while staff costs dropped for the first time since early this year. That led to overall expenses rising at the slowest pace in five months.

Optimism about future activity among firms was the strongest in more than a year.

In neighbouring Saudi Arabia, business conditions continued to improve as new orders rose amid a recovery in local demand. While IHS Markit’s PMI survey fell to 57.7 from 58.6 in September, this was still the second-highest recorded since the start of the pandemic.

Purchasing activity rose at the fastest pace in three months as both input buying and inventories expanded. Job creation also increased, though the rate of growth was marginal. 

Source: Hindustan Times

JERUSALEM, Nov 26 (Reuters) – Israel on Friday imposed a travel ban on most African states, after reporting cases of a new and potentially vaccine-resistant coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett widened a banannounced on Thursday on the entry of foreigners from seven African countries and travel to them.

“We are currently on the verge of a state of emergency,” he said, adding that the B.1.1.529 variant had “arrived at a very complicated time”, coinciding with the Hanukkah vacation when children, mostly unvaccinated, are out of school.

Bennett said a few cases had been reported in Israel, including at least person who had already received a vaccine booster shot.

“That doesn’t mean the vaccines are no good (against the new variant). It might mean they are effective to a certain degree,” said Bennett, who met Israeli health experts before the travel edicts were announced.

Under the broader restrictions, all African nations, except those in North Africa, were added to Israel’s “red list” of high-risk countries.

Other authorities including in the EU and Britain also reacted with alarm to the new variant, while the World Health Organisation (WHO)cautioned countries against hastily imposing travel restrictions, favouring a “risk-based and scientific approach”. 

Bennett told journalists a national lockdown was not an option at the moment, though Israel’s coronavirus panel of experts would reconvene on Saturday night to discuss possible additional measures.

Israel has recorded 1.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 8,000 fatalities since the pandemic began.

Around 43% of Israel’s population of 9.4 million have received three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Source: Reuters

Rwanda will effective Sunday, November 28, reinstate the mandatory 24-hour quarantine for all arriving passengers as officials move to control potential entry and spread of the new deadly Covid-19 variant detected in Southern Africa.

The health ministry announced Friday that the government would soon issue additional measures in a bid “to limit the spread of the new variant and protect gains made so far in managing the Covid-19 pandemic and reopening the economy.”

“The health ministry is reinstating the obligatory 24-hour quarantine in designated hotels at own expense for all persons arriving into Rwanda effective Sunday, November 28 , 2021 at noon,” reads the statement in part. It further calls on members of the public, including vaccinated people to strictly observe Covid-19 preventive measures.

Months of the Covid-19 lull that enabled lifting of almost all restrictions on movement, gatherings and near full reopening of economic activities had seen fully vaccinated travellers no longer required to quarantine at hotels on arrival in Rwanda.

A PCR test for all arriving passengers was, however, required.

Arriving and departing passengers at Kigali International airport equally present a negative PCR test taken with 72 hours prior to departure.

With over 3.1 million people fully vaccinated and 5.9 million people jabbed with the first shot as at Friday, November 26, the number of people who got the full doses of Covid-19 vaccine represent 21 percent.

Rwandan government recently extended the mass vaccination campaign to teens under eighteen years in a bid to further accelerate the uptake of the jab.

The country has not detected any case of the new variant to date but officials remain on high alert. The national carrier RwandAir flies to South Africa which is among the countries where the variant was first detected.

Rwanda recorded eight new Covid-19 cases Friday out of 12,065 tests conducted.  More than 115 new cases were confirmed in 84,028 tests taken over the last seven days with the positivity rate remaining below one per cent.  The country recorded only two Covid-19 linked deaths over the past week.

Health minister Daniel Ngamije said existing diagnostic capacity using PCR testing was up to task to detect the new Covid-19 variant, therefore won’t require infrastructure upgrades.

Source: The East African

South Africa on Friday slammed as “rushed” Britain’s travel ban from six southern African countries, following the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant with a large number of mutations.

Just hours after scientists in South Africa announced they had detected a new variant, Britain said all flights from South Africa and its neighbours Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswana would be prohibited starting 1200 GMT on Friday.

“Whilst South Africa respects the right of all countries to take the necessary precautionary measures to protect their citizens, the UK’s decision to temporarily ban South Africans from entering the UK seems to have been rushed as even the World Health Organization is yet to advise on the next steps,” the foreign ministry said in a statement Friday.

The ministry said it would speak to the UK government to try persuade it to reconsider its decision.

South Africa has in recent days experienced a surge in infections — recording 2,465 new infections in a 24-hour cycle on Thursday — nearly double the previous day’s tally.

Scientists blamed the spike in infections on the variant, which goes by the scientific label B.1.1.529.

The number of fatalities shot to 114 on Thursday from 22 the previous day, in Africa’s hardest-hit country.

In the meantime, Britain, which has been among the hardest hit by Covid-19, recorded more than 47,000 positive cases in a 24-hour period to Thursday.

South Africa was hoping for increased tourist numbers during its southern hemisphere summer and year-end festive season after the UK removed it from its “red list” in October, which had forced travellers into a pricey hotel quarantine on their arrival in Britain.

“Our immediate concern is the damage that this decision will cause to both the tourism industries and businesses of both countries,” bemoaned South Africa’s international relations and cooperation minister Naledi Pandor.

Source: AFP

Kenya has not banned travel to southern Africa but its Ministry of Health says it will carefully screen people arriving from South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong for the new COVID variant discovered in South Africa.

The Kenyan government directs passengers arriving from southern African countries to take the COVID test before being allowed into the country.

South Africa and Botswana have reported a new variant in their countries that scientists say is highly transmittable and vaccine resistant.

Kenya’s Director General for Health Patrick Amoth told VOA his country is on high alert to combat the new variant.

“We are working to ensure that our surveillance system is top-notch and looking specifically at people coming from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong to put them through a robust surveillance system,” said Amoth. “We insist on having you fully vaccinated before you come to the country. And you also need to have a negative PCR test taken 96 hours before your arrival in the country.”

This week, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta traveled to South Africa, where he signed deals to boost trade and economic cooperation between the two countries,

To combat the spread of the virus in the population, the East African nation launched a ten-day mass vaccination campaign Friday. Kenya has vaccinated at least 6.5 million people.

Amoth says they have enough vaccines to inoculate even more.

“It’s part of the ongoing vaccination process and we wanted to scale up in view of the events that are happening in Europe and the rest of the world,” said Amoth. “So to ensure we reach herd immunity and the entire population is protected and now we have more vaccines available we thought to be able to scale up so that we can be able to reach more people.”

Amoth expressed confidence that more Kenyans will get vaccinated.

“For example, yesterday we vaccinated close to 111,000 people from the previous daily rate of about 50,000-60,000,” said Amoth. “So Kenyans are enthusiastic to be able to take the vaccine and also now this emerging information we believe will sway the public opinion towards going for the vaccine instead of vaccine hesitancy.”

Kenya has a policy of not providing government services to unvaccinated people as a way of encouraging them to get inoculated. Kenya hopes to vaccinate 10 million people by the end of the year.

Source: VOA