Tourism and Environment

US lifts Covid travel restrictions on Zimbabwe, southern Africa

Published

4 years ago

December 25, 2021

WASHINGTON — The United States will lift travel restrictions to eight southern African countries, including Zimbabwe, on New Year’s Eve, the White House announced Friday.

The restrictions, imposed last month, were meant to blunt the spread of the Covid omicron variant.

The November 29 ban barred nearly all non-US citizens who had recently been in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

White House spokesman Kevin Munoz said on Twitter that the decision was recommended by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Munoz said the temporary travel bans bought scientists necessary time to study the new virus variant and conclude that the current vaccinations are effective in blunting its impact.

Omicron is now spreading rapidly throughout the US, including among the vaccinated, but a huge majority of those being hospitalised are unvaccinated.

“The restrictions gave us time to understand Omicron and we know our existing vaccines work against Omicron, esp boosted,” Munoz wrote on Twitter.

The World Health Organisation and other global health experts criticised the travel bans, with United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres saying on December 1 that restrictions that isolated any one country or region were “not only deeply unfair and punitive – they are ineffective”.

“With a virus that is truly borderless, travel restrictions that isolate any one country or region are not only deeply unfair and punitive – they are ineffective,” Guterres said at a news conference at that time, calling instead for increased testing for travellers.

A senior White House official added that with Omicron present across the US and globally, international travellers from the eight affected countries would not have a significant effect on US cases.

“During the travel pause President Biden reduced the time for pre-departure testing to one day opposed to three days … travellers from these eight countries will be subject to these same strict protocols,” the official said.

Later on Friday, the State Department said Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked South Africa and its scientists for “their transparency and expertise” around identifying the Omicron variant in a phone call with his counterpart Naledi Pandor.

“He emphasized the importance of the longstanding partnership between the United States and South Africa to combat the impacts of COVID-19,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement describing the call.

The CDC said earlier this week that Omicron has become the dominant coronavirus strain in the US, accounting for 73 percent of new infections. – Online

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Fastjet launches Bulawayo to Victoria Falls flights

Published

5 hours ago

July 23, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Fastjet Zimbabwe is set to expand its domestic route network with the introduction of flights from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls, starting August 8.

The new route will operate four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

According to Nunurai Ndawana, spokesperson for Fastjet Zimbabwe, “The new Bulawayo to Victoria Falls flight strengthens our presence in Bulawayo and underscores our commitment to the development of tourism region.” Ndawana added, “Our four times a week flights will offer more travel opportunities and support both leisure and corporate travel between the two cities, reaffirming our position as a key airline partner in connecting the Matabeleland region.”

Vivian Ruwuya, Fastjet Zimbabwe’s Chief Commercial Officer, noted that “This has been a long time coming. We have been monitoring the development and traffic trends between the manufacturing city of Bulawayo and our tourism hub of Victoria Falls. The introduction of a scheduled service is a result of widespread consultative engagements and collaboration with key players in the industry.”

Fastjet Zimbabwe will deploy its Embraer fleet on the new route, offering customers a comfortable flight experience. The flight schedule is as follows:

– BUQ-VFA Flight FN8111: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, departing Bulawayo at 13:25 and arriving in Victoria Falls at 14:20.
– VFA-BUQ Flight FN8112: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, departing Victoria Falls at 14:50 and arriving in Bulawayo at 15:45.

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Wetlands conservation takes center stage as COP15 conference kicks off in Victoria Falls

Published

11 hours ago

July 23, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The highly anticipated Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP15) kicked off today, in Victoria Falls.

The conference brings together representatives from 172 countries to discuss critical wetland matters.

In a press briefing held yesterday evening, Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Evelyn Ndlovu, welcomed delegates to the conference, emphasizing the importance of wetlands in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development.

“Wetland conservation is not an environmental luxury; it is a hydrological necessity, a climate imperative, and a development obligation,” Minister Ndlovu stressed.

The minister highlighted the alarming rate of wetland loss, citing the Global Wetlands Outlook report, which reveals that 37% of wetlands have been lost since the Convention’s establishment in 1971. She also noted that freshwater species populations have declined by 84% since 1970.

The minister emphasized Zimbabwe’s commitment to wetland conservation, announcing plans to designate five new Ramsar Sites by 2030 and restore 250 000 hectares of degraded wetlands.

The COP15 conference, which runs until July 31, aims to address pressing issues affecting the world’s wetlands. The conference will feature plenary sessions, regional meetings, and a field trip to Kasibo Wetland in Hwange.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is expected to officiate at the event.

The conference is expected to catalyze three key paradigm shifts: adopting the Victoria Falls Declaration, integrating wetland considerations into Nationally Determined Contributions and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, and embracing technological solutions through the launch of the Global Wetland Watch digital monitoring platform.

As the conference gets underway, all eyes are on Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, as global leaders gather to address the critical issue of wetlands conservation.

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Global leaders to gather in Zimbabwe for crucial wetlands conservation conference

Published

2 days ago

July 21, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

In just a few days, the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) will convene in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, bringing together representatives from over 170 countries to discuss the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

Scheduled to take place from 23-31, July, 2025, the conference will address pressing issues affecting the world’s wetlands, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development.

The eight-day conference will feature a range of activities, including regional meetings, plenary sessions, and consideration of draft resolutions and recommendations. Key topics on the agenda include the Strategic Plan of the Convention 2025-2034, financial and budgetary matters, and the responsibilities and roles of the Standing Committee.

High-level dignitaries, including government ministers, international organization representatives, and civil society leaders, are expected to attend the conference. The event will provide a critical platform for international cooperation and coordination on wetland conservation and sustainable use.

The conference will also feature the presentation of the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award winners, recognizing outstanding achievements in wetland conservation and management.

As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development, the COP15 conference is expected to produce significant outcomes and decisions that will shape the future of wetland management and conservation.