A brief diplomatic row between Kenya and Israel has ended after the Israeli government reversed travel restrictions that had been imposed on Kenyan travellers over Ebola concerns.
The decision came just hours after Kenya formally objected to the measure, arguing that it was not supported by the country’s public health record.
In a statement issued on Monday, June 15, the Israeli Embassy in Kenya announced that Israel’s Ministry of Health had removed both Kenya and Rwanda from a list of countries affected by temporary Ebola-related entry restrictions. The move was welcomed as a relief for travellers and helped ease concerns about possible disruptions to movement between the two nations.
“We are pleased to announce that Israel’s Ministry of Health has decided to remove Kenya and Rwanda from the list of countries subject to temporary Ebola-related entry restrictions,” Israel’s embassy in Kenya said.
The restrictions had been introduced following Ebola outbreaks reported in parts of East and Central Africa, particularly in Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Kenya’s protest was led by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei, who criticised the decision as unjustified and inconsistent with available health data. He noted that Kenya had played an active role in regional Ebola surveillance and response efforts, conducting more than 80,000 tests without recording a single confirmed case linked to the outbreak.
