Gabon Bans European Travelers After Exclusion From Safe List

(Bloomberg) --

Gabon suspended all visas for European travelers after the central African nation was excluded from a list of countries whose citizens can make non-essential trips to the EU.

All diplomatic missions have been instructed to deny tourist and business visas to visitors from the European Union as the country resumes international fights this week “in line with the principle of reciprocity,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Exceptions will be made for people on official missions approved by the government.

The West African nation of Senegal will reciprocate any measures taken against its citizens as it prepares to resume international flights on July 15, Tourism and Air Transport Minister Alioune Sarr said Thursday on the ministry’s Facebook page.

The 27-member EU has given approval for business and leisure travel to people from 14 countries, including Algeria, Morocco, Rwanda and Tunisia in Africa.

Gabon with a total of 5,513 cases of Covid-19, including 42 deaths as of July 2, is among countries in Africa with a high number of infections per 100,000 population, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

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