Investing.com - Financial Markets Worldwide
Get 40% Off
Get 40% Off
👀 👁 🧿 All eyes on Biogen, up +4,56% after posting earnings. Our AI picked it in March 2024.
Which stocks will surge next?
Unlock AI-picked Stocks

West African ministers propose phased re-opening of borders

Published 17/06/2020, 19:51
Updated 17/06/2020, 19:54

ABIDJAN, June 17 (Reuters) - West African government
ministers have proposed re-opening borders between their
countries in the first half of July and allowing in travellers
from other countries with low or controlled levels of
coronavirus spread by the end of July.
Countries across the 15-country ECOWAS trade bloc have
imposed varying levels of travel restrictions in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic, with many shutting their borders entirely.
The new proposal, contained in an ECOWAS summary of a
virtual meeting last week of foreign ministers and trade
ministers, called for coordinated efforts to re-open
cross-border trade that has been crippled by coronavirus
restrictions.
It said a first phase consisting of opening up domestic air
and land transport should be implemented this month. Many
governments in the region have already begun to do so.
A second phase, involving the opening of land, air and
maritime borders within the region, should happen by July 15 at
the latest.
A third phase, involving the opening of air and land borders
to "countries with low and controlled levels of COVID-19
contamination rates", should occur by July 31 but will depend on
the evolution of the pandemic, the report said.
The ministers' recommendations will be presented to ECOWAS
heads of state at a forthcoming summit, it said.
African governments have struggled since the start of the
outbreak to strike a balance between containing the virus and
maintaining the day-to-day economic activities that millions of
their citizens depend on to survive.
African countries have registered relatively few cases
compared to hotspots elsewhere in the world, but the World
Health Organization warned last week that the pandemic was
accelerating on the continent.

3rd party Ad. Not an offer or recommendation by Investing.com. See disclosure here or remove ads .

Latest comments

Install Our App
Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.