Liebe Landsleute,

die Zahl der offiziell bestätigten COVID-19 Fälle in Äthiopien beträgt derzeit 74.

Nach bisherigen Informationen findet der nächste Ethiopian Airlines-Flug nach Frankfurt am morgigen Dienstag, 14.04.2020, statt (evtl. wird es eine Zusammenlegung mit der Stockholm-Route geben).
Bitte bedenken Sie, dass Sie bei Einreise nach Deutschland einer 14-tägigen Quarantänepflicht unterliegen. Die örtlichen Gesundheitsämter sind gehalten, die Einhaltung der Quarantäne zu überprüfen.

Die äthiopische Regierung hat die mit dem am 08.04.2020 ausgerufenen Ausnahmezustand verbundenen Maßnahmen konkretisiert. Eine inoffizielle Übersetzung der ab sofort geltenden Regelungen finden Sie folgend in englischer Sprache:

Prohibited Actions
The regulation prohibits:
-Holding political, religious or social meetings that involve more than four people in government institutions, hotels, meeting halls, religious institutions or anywhere.

-Exception could be made for a force majeure and upon permission by the Ministerial Committee or sub-committees mandated and established by the Ministerial Committee at regional, woreda and city levels.
-Handshakes
-Public transport services like buses and taxis from using more than 50 % of their seats to provide transportation services
-Private vehicles from using more than 50 % of their seats excluding the driver seat
-Ethio-Djibouti Light rails from using more than 25% of their seats
-Visits of prisoners in prisons and suspects at the police stations. This does not include food delivery to suspects at the police stations.
-Night clubs and bars
-(Group) Khat chewing and Shisha services
-Entertainment services/facilities including cinema that entail gathering
-Providing services to more than three people at a table in hotels, restaurants and cafes. The distance between each customer in a table and with another table/customer shall be two steps (meters).
-Borders are closed except for cargo and transportation of goods (solid and liquid) whereas the Ministerial Committee can authorize entry for Ethiopians returning to the country at ports of entry
-Unless authorized by the Ministerial Committee or sub-committees established at regional levels or local administration levels, neither professionals nor officials at federal and regional levels can give COVID-19 related statements on behalf of the federal or regional governments. This does not include daily updates and information given by the Ministry of Health, comments by professionals or analysis/clarification/elaboration by health professionals/physicians.
-Increase rent and evict tenants unless tenants want to do so.
-Lay off and termination of employees’ contracts by the private sector (businesses) except this is done in accordance with directives/guidelines issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
-Public and private educational institutions from conducting classroom based instruction while online sessions are allowed.
-Playing or hosting games that involve more than two persons
-Sports events and team sports (exercises) involving more than two persons
-Keeping less than two meters distance from another person in markets or public areas
-Cease, discontinue or obstruct public services like banks, utilities (electric, water, telecom etc), hospitals, emergency, fire, safety and security
-Cease, discontinue or obstruct projects/activities related to transportation of goods, agriculture, construction or any form of production.

Obligations imposed by the regulation
1. Any person suspected of COVID-19 and international passengers arriving in the country shall be quarantined.
2. An international passenger arriving in Ethiopia shall be quarantined at their own cost. A passenger who is not able to cover his/her cost shall be quarantined in places arranged by the government.
3. Any person who is tested positive for COVID-19 shall be placed in an isolation center.
4. In case a passenger is suspected of COVID-19, the transport operator in charge of shall inform the nearest head of a checkpoint or COVID-19 testing team.
5. Any person who happens to know a person with a COVID-19 case or suspected of COVID-19 shall inform the police or the Ministry of Health.
6. Any person who is in banks, markets, shops, pharmacies, transport services and other public spaces shall cover his/her mouth and nose.
7. The face masks that are factory-made or homemade or cloth could be used to cover mouth and nose as stated in Article 6.
8. Service providers in public places shall ensure all customers have access to sanitation facilities and take the preventive actions (measures).
9. Service providers shall put signs to maintain a two-meters distance between each customer
10. Government Communication Officers or private media institutions shall neither exaggerate nor understate COVID-19 related information, news analysis or programs. They shall not cause unnecessary panic or terror.
11. Any public institution, both regional and federal, shall give information on COVID-19 to its employees and set up at handwashing facility (soap and water) around the entrance/exit and other relevant places when possible additional sanitarily goods that helps prevent the transmission of the virus
12. Any public institution, both regional and federal, shall make different working arrangements including introducing shifts, working from home and approving annual leave to ensure that employees are not overcrowded and the recommended physical distancing is maintained in the workspace.
13. Any public institution and private company that is operated in accordance with Article 1156/2011 of the Labour Law shall facilitate transportation to employees when their presence is in the workplace is essential.
14. Police commission and prison administration shall make their own arrangements in terms of ensuring (physical) meetings between suspects and their lawyers.
15. When decided and asked by the Ministerial Committee, every owner of a hotel, an apartment, a vehicle, a meeting hall or any property shall be obliged to avail their property for the COVID-19 prevention, control and response efforts unless the property is used for a livelihood.
16. Any manufacturer or services provider shall be ordered by the Ministerial Committee or government entities mandated by the Ministerial Committee to provide relevant products and services, increase production, introduce new products as well as supply them to the government, cooperatives or consumer associations at a reasonable price set by the government to the COVID-19 prevention, control and response efforts.
17. Hotels are responsible to provide soap and water and when possible ensure that customers take the recommended sanitation practices and disinfect the tables, chairs and other items after each service.
18. Every health worker currently working, retired as well as students in the areas of health and every professional in any discipline shall cooperate when they are called on by the government to make their contribution to prevent, control and respond to COVID-19.

Insbesondere gilt nunmehr im öffentlichen Raum eine Pflicht zum Tragen von Masken (vor allem in Geschäften, Banken und sonstigen öffentlich zugänglichen Gebäuden). Bitte beachten Sie dies, wenn Sie sich außer Haus bewegen.

Auch hinsichtlich der Benutzung von Privatfahrzeugen gilt, dass wohl nur noch 50% der ansonsten üblichen Passagiere befördert werden dürfen.

Bitte befolgen Sie die von der äthiopischen Regierung zum Schutz der Bevölkerung getroffenen Maßnahmen und bewegen sich im öffentlichen Raum besonders umsichtig und zurückhaltend.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Brita Wagener
Botschafterin