AU commends Kenya's launch of Trusted Travel digital tool for COVID-19 test result verification

The African Union (AU) Commission on Friday commended Kenya after the country launched its Trusted Travel platform and became the first country to adopt the AU-initiated platform for managing travels during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addis Ababa [Ethiopia], January 23 (ANI/Xinhua): The African Union (AU) Commission on Friday commended Kenya after the country launched its Trusted Travel platform and became the first country to adopt the AU-initiated platform for managing travels during the COVID-19 pandemic. "As our economies, schools and borders re-open, Africa needs a harmonized approach to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission," an AU statement quoted AU Commissioner for Social Affairs Amira Elfadil as saying on Friday.

"This is why we launched the COVID-19 trusted travel portal as an innovative digital tool to help member states upload and verify test results and to harmonize entry and exit requirements to prevent cross-border transmission on the continent," said Elfadil. In October 2020, the 55-member pan-African bloc officially launched the Trusted Travel platform as part of the overall Trusted Travel Initiative during a joint meeting of the ministers of health, transport, and information and communication of African Union Member States.

The platform provides information on travel requirements at the departure and destination ports and access to a list of government-approved laboratories for COVID-19 testing in African countries. It allows travellers to upload their COVID-19 test results online for easy verification by port health and travel officials and helps with the detection of forged certificates.

According to the AU, the initiative will help establish trust and confidence in test results among government authorities, airlines, transport services operators and other stakeholders in the transport sector across the continent. (ANI/Xinhua)

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