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Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville)
Although the 1998-99 civil conflict has ended and security in
the country in general is improving, the Department of State warns
U.S. citizens to defer travel to Republic of the Congo because
of the uncertain security situation in some regions. The U.S.
Embassy is closed. The Republic of the Congo is a developing nation
in central Africa. Facilities for tourism are limited. A visa
is required. Medical facilities are limited and some medical supplies
are in short supply. Petty street crime, including mugging and
purse snatching, occasionally occur in Brazzaville and Pointe
Noire, as well as in parts of the countryside. Driving may be
hazardous, particularly at night, and travelers should be alert
to possible roadblocks. Travelers may wish to contact the U.S.
Embassy in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the
latest information on conditions in the Republic of Congo.
Cote d’Ivoire
Cote d’Ivoire, previously known as the Ivory Coast, is a developing
West African nation. Tourism facilities in the capital city of
Abidjan include some luxury hotels. Other accommodations, especially
outside the capital, may be limited in quality and availability.
A visa is not required for a stay of up to 90 days. All travelers
arriving in Cote d’Ivoire must be in possession of a World Health
Organization (WHO) vaccination card reflecting a current yellow
fever inoculation. The WHO card is inspected by Ivorian health
officials at the airport before admittance into the country. Medical
facilities are adequate in Abidjan but may be limited elsewhere.
Not all medicines are available. Street crime of the "grab
and run" variety, as well as pickpocketing in crowded areas,
has increased. Automobile accidents are one of the greatest threats
to Americans in Cote d’Ivoire. Night driving is particularly hazardous
due to poorly lit roads and vehicles. Airline travel in Cote d’Ivoire
and many other parts of West Africa is routinely overbooked, schedules
are limited and airline assistance is of varying quality.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) because of security
and political uncertainties. DRC is the largest sub-Saharan African
country. Although DRC has substantial human and natural resources,
in recent years, the country has suffered a profound political
and economic crisis. This has resulted in the dramatic deterioration
of the physical infrastructure of the country, insecurity and
an increase in crime in urban areas (including occasional episodes
of looting and murder in Kinshasa’s streets.) There has also been
occasional official hostility to U.S. citizens, U.S. interests
and nationals of European countries; periodic shortages of basic
needs such as gasoline; chronic shortages of medicine and supplies
for some basic medical care; hyperinflation and corruption. In
some urban areas, malnutrition and starvation are acute. Tourism
facilities are minimal. A visa and vaccination certificate, showing
valid yellow fever immunization, are required for entry. Medical
facilities are extremely limited. Medicine is in short supply.
Most intercity roads are difficult or impassable in the rainy
season. Government permission is required for travel outside Kinshasa.
Credit cards are generally not accepted, except by a few major
hotels and restaurants. Photography of public buildings and/or
military installations is forbidden, including photography of
the banks of the Congo River. Offenders may be arrested, held
for a minimum of several hours, fined and the film and camera
may also be confiscated. Armed groups operate in parts of the
DRC outside government control. These groups have been responsible
for pillaging, vehicle thefts, carjackings, extrajudicial settling
of differences, ethnic tensions and continued military/paramilitary
operations. Travelers in these areas run the risk of attack or
detention.
Djibouti
Djibouti is a developing East African country. Facilities for
tourism are limited. Visitors to Djibouti must obtain a visa before
arrival. Evidence of yellow fever immunization must be presented.
Medical facilities are limited. Medicine is often unavailable.
Petty crime occurs in Djibouti City and elsewhere in the country.
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea is a developing country in West Africa. Tourism
facilities are minimal. A visa is not required. Proof of smallpox,
yellow fever and cholera immunizations required for a stay of
less than 90 days. Medical facilities are extremely limited. Many
medicines are unavailable. Petty crime is common. The government
of Equatorial Guinea has established stringent currency restrictions,
applied both on arrival and departure from the country. Special
permits may be needed for some types of photography. There is
no U.S. Embassy in Equatorial Guinea. Contact the U.S. Embassy
in neighboring Yaounde, Cameroon for the latest information.
Eritrea
Eritrea is a poor but developing East African country. Formerly
a province of Ethiopia, Eritrea became an independent country
in 1993, following a 30-year long struggle for independence. Tourism
facilities in Eritrea are very limited. A visa is required. Airport
visas are unavailable. Medical facilities in Eritrea are extremely
limited. Travelers must bring their own supplies of prescription
drugs and preventative medicines. Street crime is not a frequent
occurrence but is on the increase. Visitors should exercise normal
safety precautions with regard to what valuables are carried and
what environs are visited. Credit cards are generally not accepted
in Eritrea. Foreigners must pay bills in U.S. dollars or U.S.
dollar denomination travelers checks.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a final, comprehensive peace agreement
on December 12, 2000, ending their two-year border conflict. Travel
near or across the Ethiopia/Eritrea border should be avoided.
Ethiopia is a developing East African country. Tourism facilities,
although available in larger cities, are limited. A visa is required,
as well as evidence of yellow fever immunization. Travelers must
enter Ethiopia by air, either at Addis Ababa or Dire Dawa. Individuals
entering overland risk being detained by immigration authorities
and/or fined. Airport visas may be obtained if 48 hours advance
notice has been provided by the traveler’s sponsoring organization
to proper authorities within Ethiopia. Visitors must declare hard
currency upon arrival and may be required to present this declaration
when applying for an exit visa. Upon departure, travelers should
remember that antiquities and religious artifacts require export
permission. There is a black market for hard currency, although
the official and unofficial exchange rates continue to converge.
Black market exchanges remain illegal and visitors are encouraged
to exchange funds at banks or hotels. Domestic and international
air services generally operate on schedule. Internal travel is
usually safe along major arteries. However, in rural areas and
at night, bandit attacks are common, especially along the border
with Somalia. Additionally, not all land mines have been disabled
and cleared, especially in rural and isolated areas. Pickpocketing
is rampant, and there have been numerous reports of thieves snatching
jewelry. Although physicians are well trained, medical facilities
are minimal. Hospitals in Addis Ababa suffer from inadequate facilities,
antiquated equipment and shortages of supplies, particularly medicine.
Certain buildings and public places may not be photographed.
U.S.
Embassy Web Site: http://www.telecom.net.et/~usemb-et/
Embassy
of Ethiopia Web Site: http://www.ethiopianembassy.org
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