The United Arab Emirates is set to lift its entry and transit ban on travellers who had recently visited South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and eight other African countries.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) announced on Wednesday it was lifting the ban initially imposed in light of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 

“From January 29, entry into the UAE for arrivals from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe is allowed again,” NCEMA said on Twitter.

The initial ban covered travellers who had visited certain African countries in the previous 14 days.

The changes will come into effect at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Other countries to be affected by the lift include Tanzania, Republic of Congo, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Under the new regulations, while travellers will be required to obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours prior to departure and a negative rapid-PCR test at the departure airport, those travelling from Uganda, Ghana and Rwanda will also have to take the three tests.

Passengers will also be tested on arrival.

Travel bans were first put in place after the Omicron variant was reported by South African scientists in November, Dubai’s Emirates Airline suspended passenger operations from the region.