Uganda on Tuesday lifted the ban on the exportation of migrant workers after an eight-month suspension in efforts to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Frank Tumwebaze, minister of gender, labor and social development, said in a statement that all licensed companies involved in the sourcing of external employment for Ugandan migrant workers will resume labor export following further easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

“Following the relaxing of a number of COVID-19 lockdown measures by the ministry of health and resumption of air travel, the ministry will be lifting the ban on labor export by licensed companies in accordance with the existing mandatory COVID-19 standard operating procedures for all travelers,” said Tumwebaze.

The lifting of the ban comes barely two months after President Yoweri Museveni in late September directed the reopening of the international airport and land borders, which were closed when the pandemic broke out in the country in March.

Uganda on Oct. 1 resumed scheduled commercial passenger flights after seven months of government suspensions over COVID-19 pandemic, requiring all outbound passengers to provide authentic COVID-19 test certificates issued within 120 hours before travel.

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