South African Envoy Accuses Australia of Discrimation Over Omicron Travel Ban

South Africa Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk make a keynote address at the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) Aviation & Environment Summit 2012, on March 21, 2012 in Geneva, Switzerland. Justin Hession/Getty Images

South Africa’s top diplomat to Australia has accused the Australian federal government of being discriminatory towards African countries after the country imposed travel bans over the new Omicron variant of the CCP virus.

Australia suspended flights from nine southern African countries, including South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Seychelles, Malawi, and Mozambique, after the new Omicron variant was detected on the continent.