Kuwait: MPs slam government for allowing foreigners to enter

Members of Parliament in Kuwait have criticised the government for allowing foreigners to enter the country, even from countries struggling to cope with Covid-19, the New Khalij news website reported on Tuesday.

The easing of restrictions introduced to curb the spread of the coronavirus has seen citizens and residents being allowed to travel to and from Kuwait since 1 August. The government noted that people from countries swamped with Covid-19 could enter Kuwait after spending 14 days in a third country with eased restrictions related to the pandemic.

Kuwaiti MPs, however, believe that the government’s decision is an effort to circumvent the ban on the entry of citizens from 31 countries swamped with coronavirus. They have called on the government to commit to the directions issued by the Ministry of Health and cancel its decision.

In the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus in Kuwait, people asked the government to impose a travel ban on foreigners and the country went into full lockdown. As part of a five-step plan to ease this, however, the government has allowed foreigners to travel to and from the country since 1 August under certain conditions.

READ: Kuwait bans flights to 31 ‘high risk’ countries