Are you planning to visit Ethiopia? In case you are planning to make a trip to Ethiopia you must wonder how safe it is to travel to Ethiopia. Wherever you go, safety must always be your first priority and we make sure that your priority is our priority. To help you figure out how safe your trip to Ethiopia will be, we will make you go through some of the facts that you must know before stepping into the lands of Ethiopia. This may make you ask the most important question: Is Ethiopia safe to visit? Well, lucky for you, we will answer this question for you and clear all of your doubts regarding its safety.
Travel Restrictions COVID-19: Is Ethiopia Safe to Visit?
Due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, you must reconsider your travel to Ethiopia as the cases have been on rise and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has thereby imposed a Level 4 Travel Health for Ethiopia due to COVID-19 risk factors. This made the country impose stringent laws to contain the coronavirus from spreading across the country and increasing the exposure risks. The country has now lifted stay at home orders and resumed some transportation options and on ground business operations. However, you must exercise extreme caution not only due to travel restrictions COVID-19 that had been issued by the government of Ethiopia but due to the prevalent civil unrest and communications disruptions that have been very common in these areas.
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Is Ethiopia safe to visit? Do not travel to these places:
If you are traveling to Ethiopia, you must not travel to the border areas such as the Somalia border area due to the potential for occurrences of terrorism, kidnapping, and landmines. Avoid all the border areas with Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Eritrea due to increased chances of crime, armed conflict, and civil unrest.
Therefore, you must reconsider traveling to these restricted areas due to innumerous hazards to your safety. Avoid the Somali Regional State due to potential incidents for terrorism because the Somali Regional State is close in proximity to terrorist organizations in Somalia that have highly chance to conduct terrorist attacks in the Ethiopia area. Ethiopia’s Southern areas, nationalities, and People’s Region (SNNPR) have rising chances of civil unrest just like the East Hararghe region and the extended Guji zone of Oromia State that has on-going armed conflict and high alert civil unrest alongside with Benishangul Gumuz and the western part of Oromia State occupied in similar unrests.
These places have high travel restrictions on them as the incidents of civil unrest and ethnic violence may occur without warning and will worsen the situation leaving too many casualties.
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Is Ethiopia safe to visit?
Due to the high risk areas and travel restrictions, the Government of Ethiopia has restricted and shut down the internet, cellular data connection, and phone services during and after the occurrence of civil unrest. Most of the terrorists maintain a solid presence in Somali towns near the Ethiopian border, presenting a risk of cross-border attacks and kidnappings. Landmines are present in this region in most of the cross borders of Somali and other ethnic nations and instances such as crime, armed conflict, and the potential for ethnic conflict exist near the Ethiopian borders with Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Eritrea. The civil unrest in these regions has resulted in massive injuries, deaths, looting, and the burning of buildings. Government security forces have used lethal force in some areas due to the increased insecurity issues due to these protests and strikes in several crises.
It is also essential that you stay away from the crowd in the streets as they are chances of pickpocketing, monetary scams and local crimes during the nights and the busy streets. These are few of the things you must be aware of to keep yourself safe in the country and make most of your journey in Ethiopia. These insights will answer your question: Is Ethiopia safe to visit?
