Senegal concerned about reopening of its borders with the EU

Senegal Airlines Creative commons / Wikimedia / Naby Sylla

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The European Union has decided to open its borders to only fifteen countries, including four from the African continent. A list from which Senegal is absent, waiting to know if it will be included by July 15, the date of the opening of the Senegalese air borders, closed for more than three months.

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With our correspondent in Dakar,  Théa Olliver

Only travelers from four African countries can do tourism in Europe since July 1, 2020: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Rwanda.

The issue of the opening of the borders between Senegal and the European Union is making a lot of noise in the country, as in Gabon .

Friday, July 3, the Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs Amadou Bâ met the European Union ambassador to Senegal, Irène Mingasson. This meeting was organized just two days after the European Union's decision to open its airspace to fifteen countries . A list from which Senegal is currently excluded, which intends to be part of it in the future. And he has his chance.

Senegal will apply "  the principle of reciprocity to all states that have taken measures against it, " warned the authorities. The European ambassador recalled well in the newspaper Le Quotidien : Senegal is not "  technically concerned  " by this decision, because this list is temporary and only valid until July 15.

And it is precisely on July 15 that Senegal plans to open its airspace. Everything will therefore be decided on this date: the list will be reviewed and adapted according to the epidemiological situation of the countries.

In the meantime, the European Union delegation from Senegal has asked to meet with the Minister of Tourism and Air Transport, Alioune Sarr. The rest of the discussions on the reciprocity of closing the borders will therefore take place next Tuesday, July 7.

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  • Senegal
  • European Union
  • Transport
  • Coronavirus
  • Africa