Two border strips in Ethiopia have just been added to the 'do not travel' list
What happened
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated its travel advice for Ethiopia on 24 September 2026. The change adds two specific areas to the list of places the FCDO advises against all travel to, both in the Afar region in the north east of the country: - Anywhere within 10km of the border with Eritrea - Anywhere within 20km of the border between Tigray and Afar The existing warnings for other parts of Ethiopia remain in place. The FCDO already advises against all travel, or against all but essential travel, to a number of other regions. This is a boundary-specific change rather than a change to the country as a whole. Addis Ababa and the main tourist routes are not covered by these two new strips. If you are planning any travel to Ethiopia, the current advice is at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ethiopia, and it is the only version that counts. This article describes the change; it does not replace reading the page.
Why this matters
FCDO advice is not a suggestion, and the main reason is money. Most UK travel insurance policies become void for any area the FCDO advises against travelling to. Not reduced. Void. If you travel to one of those two border strips and something happens, from a road accident to a stomach infection, your insurer can decline the claim entirely. Medical evacuation from a remote part of the Horn of Africa can cost a very large sum, and it is usually the single biggest risk a traveller carries. The second reason is consular support. The FCDO says openly that its ability to help British nationals in areas it advises against travelling to is severely limited. In some places there is effectively no support available at all. The third reason is that these warnings are specific for a reason. A 10km and a 20km buffer are not round numbers picked at random. They reflect assessed risk along particular boundaries, which in this part of Ethiopia has included armed activity and unexploded ordnance. The Afar region is also where the Danakil Depression is, which is a genuine draw for adventurous travellers. Some tour itineraries pass close to these boundaries.
What the evidence actually says
A few points of accuracy are worth making, because this is an area where people get caught out. The FCDO uses three levels: advise against all travel, advise against all but essential travel, and general advice with no travel restriction. These are different, and insurers treat them differently. 'All but essential' is a judgement about your reason for going; a holiday is not essential. The advice applies to areas, not to countries. It is entirely normal for part of a country to be restricted while the rest is not, and Ethiopia has been in that situation for some time. The advice changes without much notice. A page can be updated on any day, and it is not unusual for travellers to book under one set of advice and fly under another. The FCDO's advice reflects UK government assessment. Other countries' foreign ministries sometimes reach different conclusions about the same place. Your insurance almost certainly follows the FCDO, not theirs. And one thing the advice does not do is guarantee safety in the places it does not restrict. It is an assessment of relative risk, not a promise. On health: Ethiopia has requirements and recommendations around yellow fever, and malaria risk varies considerably by altitude and region. Those are set out on the TravelHealthPro website run by the National Travel Health Network and Centre, which is the NHS-aligned source for travel health advice.
Qurexa perspective
One practical thing we deal with often is people travelling with regular prescription medicines, and it is a genuinely common source of trouble. Order repeat prescriptions well ahead of a trip, not the week before. Most UK pharmacies cannot dispense several months at once, and you may need to speak to your GP practice about what is possible for a longer journey. Keep medicines in their original labelled packaging and carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your GP. Some countries restrict medicines that are entirely routine in the UK, including certain painkillers and some ADHD and mental health medications. Check before you fly, not at the border. Carry medicines in hand luggage where you can, split across two bags if you are travelling with someone, and take more than you need in case of delays. If you take medicines that need to stay cool, ask your pharmacist about travel storage before you book anything.
Practical advice
Read the live page. gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ethiopia, on the day you book and again shortly before you fly. Sign up for email alerts on that page. It is free and it tells you when the advice changes, which is the single most useful thing you can do. Check your insurance wording specifically for the FCDO clause. If you already have a policy and the advice changes after you booked, contact the insurer rather than assuming. If a tour operator's itinerary goes near these border areas, ask them in writing how they are handling the change. A reputable operator will already know. Register your travel plans with someone at home, and leave a copy of your passport, insurance details and itinerary with them. For health, check TravelHealthPro at travelhealthpro.org.uk for the Ethiopia country page, and book a travel health appointment at least six to eight weeks before departure, because some vaccines need time to work or come in courses. And if you are already in Ethiopia, the British Embassy in Addis Ababa's contact details are on the same FCDO page.
What to know
As of 24 September 2026, the FCDO advises against all travel to areas of Ethiopia's Afar region within 10km of the Eritrea border and within 20km of the Tigray-Afar border. Other existing warnings for Ethiopia remain unchanged, and the change does not affect Addis Ababa. The practical consequence is insurance and consular support. Travelling into an area the FCDO advises against usually voids UK travel insurance completely, and official help in those areas is severely limited. Check the live page rather than any summary, sign up for its free email alerts, and sort travel health and repeat prescriptions six to eight weeks ahead. Sources: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, 'Ethiopia travel advice', updated 24 September 2026, https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ethiopia ; National Travel Health Network and Centre, TravelHealthPro country information, https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/ ; Association of British Insurers, travel insurance guidance, https://www.abi.org.uk/ This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional.
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