Ethiopia Travel Advisory Issued

A Level 2 Travel Advisory has been issued by the US Department of State for the African country of Ethiopia. 

This new ‘Exercise Increased Caution’ Advisory was issued on May 13, 2019, and is related to civil unrest and communications disruptions in Ethiopia. 

This is unfortunate news, since Ethiopia’s Travel & Tourism economy grew by 48.6 percent in 2018, the largest of any country in the world, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

And, Ethiopia is ranked 4th in hotel development in Africa. 

Ethiopia has a population of 102 million residents and is located on Africa’s northeast coast, known as the Horn of Africa. 

This new State Department Advisory says do not travel to:

• Somali Regional State due to the potential for civil unrest, kidnapping, and landmines.

And, reconsider travel to these areas due to armed conflict and civil unrest:

• The East Hararge region and the Guji zone of Oromia State,
• Benishangul Gumuz and the western part of Oromia State,
• Border areas with Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Eritrea.

If you decide to travel to Ethiopia, the State Department recommends the following:

• Avoid demonstrations and crowds
• Be aware of your surroundings and stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency
• U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations, such as this Traveler’s Checklist
• Americans needing assistance can visit the U.S. Embassy located in Addis Ababa, at Entoto Street, P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa, and the phone number is +251 111 30 60 00.

Separately, the Canadian and UK authorities have also issued travel advisories related to  Ethiopia.

Canada’s Ethiopia advisory says to ‘Exercise a high degree of caution due to the volatile security situation in the borders with Sudan and South Sudan and the Gambella region.

And, the UK advice says ‘there has been an increase in the level of reported crime against both expatriates and nationals in the Bole and Yeka hills areas of Addis Ababa.’

From a health perspective, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on March 29, 2019, that visitors to Ethiopia should be up to date on Routine Vaccinations and be prepared for travel requirements related to the Yellow Fever virus outbreak.

Previously, during November 2018, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health started a 2nd vaccination campaign to protect more than 1.3 million people above 9 months of age against the Yellow Fever Virus. 

In the USA, the YF-VAX or Stamaril Yellow Fever vaccines are both approved during 2019.

The CDC says visitors should get travel vaccines and medicines 30-days prior to departure because there are inconsistent product supplies in Ethiopia. 

Pre-travel counseling sessions can be scheduled at Vax-Before-Travel, and vaccine financial assistance can be found at Vaccine Discounts.