UAE lifts Ebola-related entry restrictions on Ugandans

What the report says

The United Arab Emirates has eased Ebola-related entry restrictions on Ugandan nationals, removing Uganda from a precautionary travel list that had affected visa issuance and labour movement. The development was reported by The Independent Uganda, citing the UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, working with health and immigration authorities. Officials said the step followed continued review of the public health situation and Uganda’s completion of the internationally recognized monitoring period after the end of its Ebola outbreak.

According to the report, the UAE imposed the restrictions on June 6, 2026, alongside similar measures affecting nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. The latest decision keeps those measures in place for the other two countries, while Uganda is now cleared. Ugandan Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare also said the change followed talks with his UAE counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, and that a UAE delegation would visit Uganda to assess preparedness.

The move matters because the UAE is a major destination for Ugandan migrant workers, especially in domestic work, construction, hospitality, retail and security. The article says hundreds of thousands of Ugandans may be living and working there, with remittances forming an important source of income for households and the wider economy. Recruitment agencies and workers had faced delays while the restrictions were in force.

The UAE said it would keep monitoring Ebola-related developments regionally and internationally and adjust precautions if needed. For Uganda, the easing is an important signal, though the report notes that normal travel and labour flows will depend on how quickly visa, flight and recruitment processes resume.