Sub Saharan Africa

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• General
 

Travel Summary

• You should avoid areas where War Veterans are active or where incidents of violence are taking place. There have been a number of serious and violent incidents in rural areas and it is dangerous for farmers or agricultural workers to visit former properties or other agricultural areas. We advise against travel by journalists intending to carry out any reporting or official photography without the proper accreditation. The situation remains unpredictable and could deteriorate without warning.
  
  
• A new cholera outbreak was reported in October, with three deaths.  Early indications are that the outbreak may be more readily controlled than the 2008-09 epidemic which killed thousands of people.  You are advised to observe rigorous food and hygiene measures.  You should familiarise yourself with precautions to take to avoid cholera including drinking or using only purified water.  See the Health section of this advice for further guidance.
  
  
• Zimbabwe has recently experienced a serious and widespread cholera outbreak that continues to affect isolated parts of the country. Tens of thousands of people have been affected since September 2008 and thousands of people have died. Whilst the worst of the epidemic appears to be over, you are advised to observe rigorous food and hygiene measures.  You should familiarise yourself with precautions to take to avoid cholera including drinking or using only purified water. See the Health section of this advice for further guidance.
  
  
• If you are currently resident in Zimbabwe, you should continue to review your security arrangements, ensure your travel documents are up to date and readily available and have a contingency plan in place in case you need to leave at short notice. The British Embassy in Harare is currently maintaining a full range of consular services. However in the event of a significant deterioration in the security situation, the consular assistance we will be able to provide will be severely limited. See the Political Situation and the General (Living in, or travelling to, Zimbabwe) sections of this advice for more details.
  
  
• 95 British nationals required consular assistance in Zimbabwe in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident: deaths (18 cases); hospitalisations (10 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (23 cases) and lost or stolen passports (86 cases). The serious deterioration in the economy and infrastructure has made the provision of basic services and health care very unreliable, although this is  slowly improving. See the Crime, Political Situation, Local Travel, Health and General (Economic affects) sections of this advice for more details.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism.  But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should ensure that your insurance is still valid given the current alert level for Zimbabwe and check any exclusions. Your policy should  cover you for all the activities you want to undertake.  See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.