Geingob condemns travel bans

Share This Article:

President Hage Geingob on Monday condemned travel bans imposed on some southern African countries following the discovery of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant.

In a media statement, Geingob congratulated South African scientists and health professionals for identifying and characterising the Omicron variant.

“In carrying out their work transparently and ethically, they have unwittingly drawn fire and condemnation for their country and the southern African region, which has now been subjected to an unacceptable travel ban. Yet, all Africans should be proud of what we can achieve when we hold hands and pull in the same direction,” he said.

Geingob added that Namibian scientists are hard at work and have yet to detect any Omicron variant in Namibia citing that the country has been blanketed by the same unnecessary collateral punishment.

“I, therefore, condemn this misguided and most unfortunate action and call for progressive and inclusive leadership from our peer countries,” he said.

Geingob urged the developed world to consciously meditate on the wisdom of unilateral decisions that result in targeted, ambiguous regional travel bans, which are not based on scientific rigour and evidence.

“These bans have many undesired impacts, including stalling much needed economic recovery in the Global South, stoking tensions and sowing seeds of division between countries and citizens,” stressed Geingob.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) also on Monday urged all Namibians to get vaccinated as soon as possible in support of the recovery of the tourism sector that has been hit hard by the pandemic.

The ministry said it regrets the decision by the United Kingdom to place Namibia and other sister countries from the SADC region on the red list due to the detection of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in Botswana and South Africa.

“The ministry is also discontented with steps taken by several European Union member states, the United Arab Emirates and other countries that have imposed restrictions and stricter measures against travellers from Namibia. As we enter the festive season, this is a particularly crushing blow to our tourism industry and for the many lives and livelihoods that depend on it,” it said in a statement.

MEFT said the country has proven and remains committed to being a safe destination for business and leisure travel and will continue to comply with and enforce necessary health and safety measures against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency