Taiwan has announced a 90-day suspension on the entry of citizens from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as authorities move to prevent the importation of Ebola cases amid a worsening outbreak in the region.
The restrictions, announced by Taiwan’s Centres for Disease Control (CDC), will take effect at midnight on June 2, 2026, and will remain in force for 90 days. During this period, Taiwan will suspend the issuance of visas to Ugandan and DRC nationals and temporarily invalidate visas that have already been issued.
The measures make Taiwan one of several countries that have recently tightened border controls in response to the Ebola outbreak that has spread across eastern DRC and into Uganda. Similar restrictions or enhanced entry measures have already been announced by the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas.
The United States has imposed temporary entry restrictions on travellers who have recently been in Uganda, the DRC or South Sudan, while Canada has introduced a 90-day travel ban on residents from the affected countries and mandatory quarantine measures for some travellers.
Taiwan’s CDC said exceptions will only be granted to four categories of travellers: students admitted to degree programmes in Taiwan, diplomatic and official visitors, spouses and minor children of Taiwanese citizens, and individuals travelling for emergency or humanitarian reasons such as funerals or visits to critically ill relatives.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the DRC had reported more than 900 suspected Ebola cases and over 220 suspected deaths by May 27, while Uganda had confirmed seven cases, including one death. Health authorities fear the outbreak could continue spreading across the region.
The announcement has dealt a major blow to hundreds of Ugandans who had planned to travel to Taiwan for the 2026 Rotary International Convention scheduled for June 13-17 in Taipei. In a communication sent to convention participants, organisers said they had been informed by the Taiwan government that travellers from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo would no longer be allowed to enter the country, even if they had already obtained visas or electronic visas.
The organisers further indicated that visa applications from the two countries that were still under review would be cancelled without further processing.
“Rotary members, accompanying persons, family members and guests from the above-mentioned countries who had planned to attend the Taipei Convention are advised to cancel their travel arrangements as soon as possible,” the communication stated.
The decision is expected to affect hundreds of Ugandan Rotarians, many of whom had already completed registration, secured accommodation and purchased air tickets for one of Rotary International’s largest annual gatherings.
Rotary International conventions attract tens of thousands of delegates from across the world and provide opportunities for networking, fellowship and discussions on humanitarian projects. Uganda has traditionally sent one of the largest delegations from East Africa to such events.
Taiwanese authorities said the restrictions would be reviewed depending on developments in the Ebola outbreak and global public health assessments.
The CDC has also urged its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Uganda and the DRC and advised returning travellers from affected areas to undergo 21 days of self-health monitoring, which corresponds to the maximum incubation period of the Ebola virus-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
