By The Rio Times | Created at 2026-09-27 19:29:55 | Updated at 2026-09-27 21:32:04
2 hours ago
Uganda · EXPAT
Key Facts
- —The country Uganda is a landlocked East African nation of about 51 million people, slightly more than Spain. Its economy, about US$62 billion, is roughly one-500th the size of America’s.
- —Why it matters The United Arab Emirates (UAE), home to the Dubai air hub, is a key market for Ugandan workers and traders. Emirates, Dubai’s airline, flies directly to Entebbe, Uganda’s international airport.
- —Why now Uganda declared its Ebola outbreak over on 28 July, after the standard 42-day watch with no new cases. Kampala then pressed the UAE for weeks to follow.
- —What happened On Saturday 26 September 2026 the UAE announced it was ending its Ebola entry curbs on Ugandans, imposed on 6 June, subject to a UAE inspection.
- —The numbers Uganda’s health ministry recorded 20 confirmed cases, 18 recoveries and two deaths. The UAE also pledged US$10 million for Ebola response in Africa.
- —What it means for you Ugandans should regain access to new UAE visas once the inspection is done; check before booking. Travellers from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan still face the same curbs.
- —Still open Uganda’s foreign minister said the lifting depends on a UAE team checking airport preparedness within seven days. No firm restart date for visas was published.
The Gulf state’s entry curbs on Ugandans are being lifted, two months after Uganda beat its outbreak. The Gulf route that carries Ugandan workers, traders and tourists should reopen once a UAE inspection is done.
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The United Arab Emirates announced on Saturday 26 September 2026 that it is ending the UAE Ebola travel ban on Ugandan nationals. Uganda, an East African country of about 51 million people, declared its own outbreak over in July.
The UAE is a federation of seven Gulf states that includes Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is one of the main destinations for Ugandans working, trading and studying abroad.
What the UAE announced
The announcement came from the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), the UAE’s emergency agency. It acted with the health ministry and the federal authority for identity, citizenship, customs and ports.
The move reverses measures imposed on 6 June 2026. Those measures suspended new visas for nationals of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
Recent visitors to the three countries were also refused entry unless they had spent over 21 days elsewhere first. For Ugandans, that route was effectively frozen for more than three months.
The UAE said the precautionary curbs on the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan stay in place. It cited the epidemiological situation in both countries.
Uganda’s outbreak in numbers
Uganda declared its 2026 outbreak on 15 May, after cases imported from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. The health ministry recorded 20 confirmed cases, 18 recoveries and two deaths.
Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi declared the country Ebola-free on 28 July. By then Uganda had passed the 42-day period without a new locally transmitted case.
That 42-day window is twice the maximum incubation period of the virus. The World Health Organization uses it as the benchmark for declaring an outbreak over.
Why the ban dragged on
The UAE kept its restrictions for about two months after Uganda’s declaration. That delay frustrated the Ugandan government, businesses and the tourism industry.
Earlier in September, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja raised the issue in Dubai with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE’s foreign minister. She said the measures were hurting trade between the two countries.
Some in Uganda urged retaliation. Tourism businessman Amos Wekesa called in August for Kampala to suspend Emirates flights to Entebbe until Ugandans were allowed back into Dubai.
At one stage at least 15 countries imposed restrictions affecting Uganda. In July the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the African Union’s health agency, urged Washington to lift its curbs.
A condition attached
Uganda’s foreign minister, Adonia Ayebare, met Sheikh Abdullah on Saturday. He said the lifting of the ban is subject to a visit by a UAE delegation.
That team is to assess preparedness at the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and other bodies within seven days. Ayebare thanked the UAE for a decision to “restore economic ties between our countries.”
The US$10 million pledge
On the same day, the UAE committed US$10 million to fight Ebola in Africa. The UAE Aid Agency made the pledge at a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The agency’s chairman, Tareq Al Ameri, said the UAE had already sent more than 150 tonnes of aid to affected areas. The funding comes as the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to spread.
What it means for travellers and business
Ugandan workers, students and business travellers are set to regain access to one of their most important Gulf destinations. Firms trading through Dubai can plan trips again without routing staff via third countries.
Anyone planning travel should check the latest UAE visa guidance before booking. The seven-day assessment could still affect when new visas are issued in practice.
Nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan remain under the June restrictions. The rules therefore differ sharply by passport across East and Central Africa.
What to watch next
The first test is whether the UAE delegation completes its visit on schedule. A published start date for new Ugandan visas would confirm the ban is fully over.
The second is the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is still spreading. Its course will decide how long the remaining curbs last, and whether the region faces new alerts.
The wider contest for influence across the continent is a theme of Africa: The New Scramble.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the UAE Ebola travel ban on Ugandans lifted?
The UAE announced on Saturday 26 September 2026 that it was ending its entry curbs on Ugandans. Uganda’s foreign minister said the step depends on a UAE team assessing preparedness within seven days.
How big was Uganda’s 2026 Ebola outbreak?
Uganda’s health ministry recorded 20 confirmed cases, 18 recoveries and two deaths. Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi declared the country Ebola-free on 28 July 2026.
Do UAE Ebola restrictions still apply to other African countries?
Yes, curbs imposed on 6 June 2026 remain in force for nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. The UAE cited the ongoing epidemiological situation there.
