CAR looks forward to welcoming tourists as Covid-19 restrictions ease

Foreigners planning a trip to the central African country can now apply through an e-visa website, a process that is fairly easy and takes less than three days.

CAPE TOWN, June 9 (ANA) – The Central African Republic (CAR) expects to start welcoming foreign tourists and travellers as Covid-19 pandemic restrictions ease, according to international information technology firm Al Madina Development and Supply (ADS).

The country introduced Covid-19 restrictions to try and curb the spread of the virus after the first case was recorded in March last year. Now, after more than a year and as vaccinations have begun to roll out, travel restrictions are being gradually lifted, ADS said on Wednesday.

To make the process compliant with Covid-19 precautions and limit physical contact, the government has introduced an online system for issuing an electronic visa.

According to ADS, foreigners planning a trip to the CAR can now apply through the e-visa website. The process is fairly easy and takes less than three days.

Travellers can pay the visa fee and track their application online. Foreign nationals exempt from visas to the CAR can also check their exemption status on the website.

“With our official online visa website, we hope to ease the process of obtaining a visa for those looking to travel to the Central African Republic. The website is designed to educate people about our visa policies and includes detailed information on the terms and conditions for the visas issued,” a representative was quoted as saying.

“The features to check visa exemptions and track the application status will also aid applicants. Applying for the visa online will also ensure people can minimise physical contact.”

CAR began its Covid-19 vaccine roll-out last month. Citing the health ministry, news agency AFP said the campaign began in the capital Bangui, where 60,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine had arrived via the COVAX programme which aims to give poorer countries equitable access to drugs.

CAR has to date recorded 7,101 confirmed cases of Covid-19, out of which there have been 6,859 recoveries and 98 related deaths.

Humanitarian group International Rescue Committee last month said an analysis showed that 87 percent of Covid-19 vaccine doses had been distributed in wealthier countries despite surging cases in conflict-affected countries whose health systems are already strained.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, although the CAR has generally registered a relatively low number of Covid-19 cases, the indirect impact of the virus has been severe.

The agency said there had been a significant decrease in immunisation rates due to the challenges faced in conducting routine inoculations.

– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa