Namibia beats new US safety warning
The United States has updated its travel advisories with a new indicator to highlight the risk of kidnapping and hostage taking.
Namibia is still seen as one of the safest countries in the world, and is not among the 16 countries that were given a 'K' rating.
The move by the United States follows just days after a US tourist and her driver were abducted and then safely released in Uganda.
The new 'K' indicator is meant to more clearly communicate the risk of hostage taking or kidnapping, and stands alongside existing ratings for crime, civil unrest, natural disasters and other risks that travellers may encounter.
Sixteen of the 35 countries regarded as a high kidnapping risk are in Africa.
In addition to Uganda, they include: Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.
Namibia is currently under a Level 1 travel advisory by the US, meaning travellers should exercise normal precaution when travelling to the country.
According to the 2019 Global Finance ranking of the safest countries in the world, Namibia ranks 53rd among 128 countries. Namibia obtained a safety score of 10.
Botswana was ranked 41st, Rwanda 51st, Zambia 52nd, and South Africa 101st. The safest country in the world was Iceland and the most dangerous country was the Philippines.
The safety score for countries equally weighs each of the three factors “war and peace”, “personal security”, and “natural disaster risk”.
ELLANIE SMIT
Namibia is still seen as one of the safest countries in the world, and is not among the 16 countries that were given a 'K' rating.
The move by the United States follows just days after a US tourist and her driver were abducted and then safely released in Uganda.
The new 'K' indicator is meant to more clearly communicate the risk of hostage taking or kidnapping, and stands alongside existing ratings for crime, civil unrest, natural disasters and other risks that travellers may encounter.
Sixteen of the 35 countries regarded as a high kidnapping risk are in Africa.
In addition to Uganda, they include: Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.
Namibia is currently under a Level 1 travel advisory by the US, meaning travellers should exercise normal precaution when travelling to the country.
According to the 2019 Global Finance ranking of the safest countries in the world, Namibia ranks 53rd among 128 countries. Namibia obtained a safety score of 10.
Botswana was ranked 41st, Rwanda 51st, Zambia 52nd, and South Africa 101st. The safest country in the world was Iceland and the most dangerous country was the Philippines.
The safety score for countries equally weighs each of the three factors “war and peace”, “personal security”, and “natural disaster risk”.
ELLANIE SMIT
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