Updated on Monday: the parts of Ethiopia the FCDO now says not to go to
What happened
On Monday 26 October 2026, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice for Ethiopia. The change was to the Regional risks page, and it added new information about increased tensions and armed groups. FCDO travel advice is the UK government's official assessment of risk in a country. It is updated whenever the picture changes, sometimes several times a month. The advice does not cover all of Ethiopia in the same way. Some areas carry the strongest warning the FCDO gives: advise against all travel. Those currently include the whole of the Tigray region, the whole of the Amhara region, and the whole of the Gambela region. Other areas are covered in part. In Oromia, this includes areas near the Kenyan border, areas north of the A4 road in West Shewa, and the West and East Wollega zones. In the Somali region, it includes areas within 100km of the Somalia and Kenya borders, and the Fafan zone near the Somali border. In Afar, it includes areas within 20km of the Eritrean border and within 50km of Tigray. In Benishangul-Gumuz, it includes areas near the Sudanese border, the Metekel zone and the Maokomo special zone. There are also border buffers that cut across regions: within 20km of the Sudan and Eritrea borders, and within 10km of the South Sudan and Kenya borders, which also affects the Central, Southern, Sidama and South West regions. The FCDO also warns that travel restrictions can be imposed at short notice.
Why this matters
There are two reasons to read this even if Ethiopia is not on your list. The first is money. Most UK travel insurance policies will not cover you if you travel to an area the FCDO advises against travelling to. Not "might not". As standard, they will not. That means medical costs, repatriation, cancellation and lost belongings, all uncovered, in a place where private medical care has to be paid for up front. It is also a detail many people miss, because the advice is regional rather than national. A policy can be perfectly valid for a trip to Addis Ababa and worthless for a side trip north. The second reason is that "advise against all travel" is not a general mood. It is based on specific, documented risks, and the FCDO sets them out. In Amhara, there are clashes between Fano militia and security forces, and the FCDO reports banditry and attacks on vehicles on the road between Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar. In Tigray, there is ongoing fighting, flights have been suspended, and there have been threats against Mekele airport. In Gambela, the FCDO says "large-scale violence, inter-communal clashes and armed attacks occur regularly". In Oromia, armed groups clash with security forces, there are reports of air strikes in West Shewa, and protests have sometimes turned violent. In the Somali region, insurgent groups, some linked to terrorist organisations, have clashed with government forces, and the FCDO notes that foreigners have been caught up in or targeted by violence. Along the A1 road in the Afar and Somali regions there are irregular ethnic clashes, sporadic roadblocks and attacks on vehicles. Near the Oromia and Somali regional border, including at Moyale, there have been armed clashes between regional security forces.
What the evidence actually says
It is worth understanding what this advice is and is not. It is an assessment, produced by the UK government, which draws on information the public does not see. It is not a prediction that something will happen to you, and it is not a judgement about Ethiopia or its people. Ethiopia is a large country, and large parts of it are not covered by these warnings. What the advice does do is draw lines on a map and attach specific reasons to them. The reasons above are the FCDO's own, quoted from the current advice. The practical advice the FCDO gives within affected areas is mostly about reducing exposure. In Tigray, stay indoors and follow curfews. In Amhara, be highly cautious or avoid travelling when visibility is poor, which in effect means avoid driving at night. In Oromia, avoid military and security sites. Everywhere, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities and tour operators. One limitation to hold in mind: travel advice is a snapshot. This page was updated on 26 October 2026, and the FCDO itself warns that restrictions can appear at short notice. A page you read three weeks before you fly may no longer be accurate on the day. The other limitation is that advice is regional, and borders on a map are not always obvious on the ground. A 20km buffer from a border is not something you can judge by eye.
Qurexa perspective
One part of this is squarely in our territory: medicines. If you take regular prescribed medicines and you are travelling anywhere where healthcare may be hard to reach, the planning matters more than usual. Running out of a medicine in a place where you cannot replace it is a genuine emergency, and it is one of the more common ways an ordinary trip turns into a serious problem. So: order your repeat prescription in good time before you travel, not the week before. Ask your pharmacist whether your medicine is legal in the country you are visiting, because some common UK medicines, including certain painkillers and sleep medicines, are controlled or banned elsewhere. Ask for a copy of your prescription or a letter listing your medicines and doses. Qurexa delivers NHS prescriptions across Lincolnshire, and we would far rather someone ordered early than found themselves short. If you are planning a trip, that is the one errand worth doing sooner than you need to. Your pharmacy team can advise on travelling with medicines free of charge, and they are usually the fastest people to ask.
Practical advice
Read the advice for the specific parts of the country you will be in, not just the summary. Travel advice is regional, and so is your insurance. Sign up for email alerts on the GOV.UK travel advice page for your destination. They are free, and they tell you when the advice changes while you are planning or travelling. Check your insurance policy wording against the FCDO advice before you book anything non-refundable. If you plan to go to an area the FCDO advises against, ask your insurer in writing whether you are covered. Specialist cover exists, but standard policies generally exclude it. If you are already in Ethiopia, follow local curfews and instructions from local authorities, avoid travelling after dark, avoid military and security sites, and keep up with local media. Keep your passport, insurance details and emergency numbers somewhere separate from the originals, and make sure someone at home has copies and your itinerary. Check the health page of the advice, and see a travel health clinic or your pharmacy at least six to eight weeks before you go, because some vaccines need more than one dose. And take enough of your regular medicines for longer than the trip, in case you are delayed. Keep them in your hand luggage, in their original labelled packaging.
What to know
The FCDO updated its Ethiopia travel advice on 26 October 2026, adding information about increased tensions and armed groups on its Regional risks page. The FCDO advises against all travel to the whole of Tigray, Amhara and Gambela, and to parts of Oromia, the Somali region, Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz and several border areas, including buffers of 20km from the Sudan and Eritrea borders and 10km from the South Sudan and Kenya borders. The stated reasons include armed clashes, banditry and attacks on vehicles, air strikes, insurgent activity, roadblocks and large-scale inter-communal violence. The FCDO warns restrictions can be imposed at short notice. The most important practical consequence for UK travellers is insurance: standard policies generally do not cover travel to areas the FCDO advises against, which includes medical treatment and repatriation. If you are travelling, sign up for free FCDO email alerts, check your policy wording, and order repeat prescriptions well before you go. Sources: GOV.UK, "Ethiopia travel advice", updated 26 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ethiopia — GOV.UK, "Ethiopia travel advice: Regional risks", https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ethiopia/regional-risks — GOV.UK, "Ethiopia travel advice: Health", https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ethiopia/health This article is for general information and is not travel, insurance or medical advice. Always check the current FCDO advice for your destination before and during your trip, and speak to a doctor, pharmacist or travel health clinic about vaccinations and travelling with medicines.
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