South Africa:
Africa Regulatory ENSight Issue 3 Of 2022 | 06 Apr 2022 Issue 3 Of 2022
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*Coronavirus (COVID-19) regulatory measures
Botswana
sector
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measure
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effective date/status
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key points and impact
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Applies to multiple sectors
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Press Release: New Changes at Ports of Entry
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Issued on 18 March 2022 by the Ministry of Health and
Wellness.
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The Press Release provides that due to discordant period for
taking booster shots between Botswana and other countries, and for
purposes of smoothing international travel:
- the definition of being fully vaccinated in Botswana will no
longer include a booster shot;
- having completed the primary vaccine series will be considered
sufficient for one to be allowed entry, without the need to present
a negative PCR test result; and
- travellers who are partially vaccinated or not vaccinated at
all will be required to present a negative 72-hour PCR test result
and undergo COVID-19 testing at port of entry at own cost.
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Applies to multiple sectors
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Public Health (Prevention of Introduction or Spread of COVID-19)
Order, 2022, Statutory Instrument No. 22 of 2022
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Published in the Botswana Government Gazette Extraordinary Vol.
LX, No. 31 dated 18 March 2022.
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The Order:
- repeals the Public Health (Prevention of Introduction or Spread
of COVID-19) Order, 2022, Statutory Instrument No. 12 of 2022;
and
- provides that:
- a person who wishes to enter into Botswana shall,
at the port of entry, on presenting proof that he or she is fully
vaccinated, be allowed entry;
- where the abovementioned proof is not presented, a person
shall, on entry, present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, or
any other test result as the Director may determine, not older than
72 hours from the time of testing, and at his or her own cost, be
required to undertake immediate COVID-19 PCR testing; and
- a person who refuses to be subjected to the
provisions of this Order commits an offence and is liable to a fine
not exceeding BWP5 000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
one year, or to both.
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Namibia
sector
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measure
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effective date/status
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key points and impact
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Applies to multiple sectors
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Amendment of Public
Health COVID-19 General Regulations: Public and Environmental
Health Act, 2015, Government Notice No. 85 of 2022 |
Effective from 00:00 on 16 March 2022 to 24:00 on 15 April
2022.
Published in the Namibia Government Gazette No. 7765 dated 15
March 2022.
|
The Government Notice amends the Public Health COVID-19 General
Regulations, Government Notice No. 91 of 30 April 2021:
- to repeal regulation 3 which required every person to wear a
mask whenever he or she is at or in a public place;
- in relation to a prohibited gathering, which means a group of
more than 1 000 persons;
- to require the head of an institution and every manager or
person in control of any business, operation and activity that is
permitted to operate under the Regulations and which renders
services to members of the public on the basis of seated services,
including businesses that sell liquor or food for on-consumption,
to arrange chairs or tables in a manner that they are not less than
one metre apart; and
- to provide that a person may enter Namibia if such person at
the time of entering Namibia presents to an authorised person a
valid:
- negative SARS-CoV2 polymerase chain reaction
("PCR") rest result from the country of
departure, which result:
- is not older than 72 hours calculated from the date that the
sample for testing was taken; and
- was issued by a laboratory that is certified in the country of
issue to issue SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results;
- de-isolation certificate, not older than three months from the
date of discharge from isolation, issued by a health authority; in
the country of departure; or
- vaccination certificate:
- showing that the persons concerned are fully vaccinated against
COVID-19; and
- issued by a person or authority certified or authorised to
administer COVID-19 vaccines and to issue vaccination certificates
in any country.
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Nigeria
sector
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measure
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effective date/status
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key points and impact
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Banking / Finance |
Circular No.
FPR/DIR/PUB/CIR/001/040: Re: Regulatory Forbearance for the
Restructuring of Credit Facilities Impacted by COVID-19 |
Issued on 15 March 2022
by the Central Bank of Nigeria
("CBN"). |
The Circular provides
that the 5% per annum interest rate on all CBN intervention
facilities is extended for one year, taking effect retrospectively
from 28 February 2022. |
Seychelles
sector
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measure
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effective date/status
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key points and impact
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Applies to multiple
sectors |
Employment (Coronavirus)
(Workplace) (Temporary Measures) Regulations, 2022, Statutory
Instrument No. 31 of 2022 |
Published in the
Supplement to the Official Gazette of Seychelles dated 21 March
2022. |
The Regulations:
- set out measures to be taken in the workplace, including in
occupations with the highest COVID-19 risk, to protect workers and
mitigate the spread of COVID-19;
- provide that an employer may acquire testing kits to test
workers at the workplace on the first day of the worker becoming
aware that he or she was in close contact with a person who tested
positive for COVID-19, and require an employer who fails to comply
to subject its workers to be tested at a health centre; and
- set out procedures that an employer may take in relation to
employees who do not comply with COVID-19 safety measures at work,
including:
- disciplinary action against any employee who refuses or fails
to comply with social distancing or hygiene measures;
- following a fair procedure, dismissing an employee who
repeatedly refuses or fails to comply with the employer's
COVID-19 measures, or where a one-off failure is particularly
serious; and
- provide that non-compliance with an instruction to selfisolate
or quarantine from the Public Health Authority may be considered a
disciplinary matter even if an employee is not physically present
at the workplace.
|
Finance |
Press Communiqué:
Private Sector Relief Schemes closed as at 31 March 2022 |
Issued on 31 March 2022
by the Central bank of Seychelles
("CBS"). |
The Press Communiqué provides that:
- the CBS has closed the access period to the Private Sector
(MSMEs) Relief Scheme and Private Sector (Large Enterprises) Relief
Scheme in line with the CBS' Unwinding Strategy - COVID 19
Policy and Relief Measures;
- from the reopening of the schemes on 1 February 2022 until 23
March 2022, the commercial banks, Development Bank of Seychelles
and Seychelles Credit Union had not received any new applications
under both schemes; and
- notwithstanding the closure of the schemes, private sector
businesses being impacted by the effects of the pandemic can seek
assistance from their respective financial institutions which have
reinstated the provision of credit facilities, in line with the
accommodative monetary policy stance adopted by the CBS.
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