Senegalese authorities and airport staff unload cargo
DAKAR, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Senegal, an important air hub in West Africa, has extended a suspension on all flights to and from its soil until May 31 as part of measures to contain coronavirus, Transport Minister Alioune Sarr announced.
The announcement, made on Twitter, gave no further details.
The country halted passenger flights, but not cargo, under a suspension implemented in mid-March.
The measure initially applied to France, Italy, Spain and a number of other countries in Europe and North Africa before becoming a blanket suspension.
Senegal’s official tally of coronavirus cases stands at more than 300, two of them fatal.
The authorities have closed schools, imposed a night-time curfew and banned travel between cities in a bid to stem the spread of the virus, but not implemented a lockdown.
Separately, BURUNDI announced the suspension of the diaspora voting in the general elections set on May 20 over measures against the Covid-19 pandemic in different countries.
“The current health situation characterized by the measures imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic in different countries doesn’t allow the free movement to have access to the chancery,” said Burundian foreign minister Ezechiel Nibigira in a correspondence to Burundian diplomatic missions abroad.
Nibigira said the electoral body, therefore, regrets of not being able to organize these elections in the face of force majeure.
On May 20, Burundi will hold general elections that combine three polls—the presidential election, legislative elections and district council elections.
The National Independent Electoral Commission said in March that 5,126,351 voters including 12,933 Burundians who are living abroad are expected to vote in the elections. — NNN-AGENCIES
