COVID- 19: EU Bans Nigeria, Welcome Rwanda And 3 Others

Moses Godonu

The countries of Europe as a body has banned Nigeria and 53 other countries of the Africa continent from entering Europe.

In a bid to ease lockdown, in the European Union region amid coronavirus pandemic, Nigeria has been listed one of the 53 African countries that will not be allow into European Union countries.

However, it was gathered that Rwanda is among four African countries whose citizens will be allowed into the Schengen zone from July 11 once countries of the area start opening their borders.

According to reports from Europe, a list drawn up on the basis of countries with a similar epidemiological situation with Europe excludes the African continent with the exception of four countries: Rwanda, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria.

The Schengen zone includes; France, Greece, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Norway, Finland, Poland, Iceland, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Switzerland, Portugal, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Liechtenstein.

This development comes as, across Europe, governments started to open their borders after weeks of closure during the COVID- 19 pandemic.

In the past few weeks, the border situation in the 27-member bloc remained a mixed picture.

The EU appeared to have agreed how it will assess which countries meet health standards which is one of the criteria for entry.

Also, in the UK, reports indicated that blanket restrictions on non-essential overseas travel will be relaxed from July 6.

Furthermore, the EU is said to have in consideration, the reopening of borders to visitors from more than 10 countries outside the Schengen zone including Japan, South Korea and Canada from July 1, after months of travel restrictions over the coronavirus outbreak.

It would be recalled, that the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, has earlier recommended the reopening of external borders from July 1.