This archive report was first published on 24 May 2020.
On May 18, Tanzania's airspace opened for international arrivals, marking a significant milestone in the country's efforts to reopen its economy after nearly two months of lockdown.
President John Magufuli announced the reopening, citing a significant reduction in COVID-19 cases in the country. The president stated that there was no longer a need to curtail economic activity, as hospitals across Tanzania had empty beds with nearly all COVID-19 positive patients having tested negative for the virus.
"God has heard our prayers. I call upon anyone who has been touched by this to use Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to give special thanks to God," President Magufuli said on Thursday.
Since April 29, Tanzania has not reported its national tally of COVID-19 positive cases, with the official toll remaining at 509 with 21 deaths as of May 7. The semi-autonomous Zanzibar island last announced its numbers on May 7.
Tanzania's reopening is a significant development in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected over 5.1 million people worldwide and killed over 333,000 in about six months.
Among the six East African Community member countries, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda have the strictest travel restrictions, while Burundi and South Sudan have also issued public health advisories to curb the spread of the virus.
A chartered plane with four Greek nationals on board landed at the Kilimanjaro International Airport on May 21, marking the first international flight to arrive in the country since the lockdown. The visitors proceeded straight to sample the country's tourist attractions after the lifting of a 14-day mandatory quarantine that had been imposed on April 4.
Entrants into the country will now only have their temperatures checked on arrival, as per new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health.
Tourism is a critical sector of Tanzania's economy, contributing about 17% to the annual Gross Domestic Product and employing an estimated 623,000 workers. About 1.9 million tourists visited the country's parks and beaches last year, injecting $2.5 billion into the economy, according to data from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
President Magufuli also announced that High School candidates whose final examinations were postponed in May will resume classes on June 1. He instructed the education ministry to prepare a special program to prepare them for the final exams later this year and enable them to join universities without interrupting the academic calendar. Primary and junior secondary schools will, however, remain closed.
