Singapore, AU to begin mutual verification of digital COVID vaccination certificates May 23

Singapore and the African Union (AU) have established a framework for mutual recognition of digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates.

The framework will go into effect on May 23, 2022.

In a joint statement, Singapore’s ministry of transport and the AU said the move is to facilitate the resumption of travel between Singapore and countries in Africa.

Fully-vaccinated travellers with digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued in the African Union, via the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC’s) trusted travel (TT) and trusted vaccines (TV) platforms can upload and validate their certificates through the vaccination check portal (VCP) or the singapore arrival card (SGAC) to verify their vaccination status.

According to the statement, this will allow them to enter Singapore without quarantine and/or testing under the vaccinated travel framework.

Also, fully vaccinated travellers with digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued in Singapore can secure their vaccination passes on the AU TT and TV platforms.

The TT and TV platforms are based on the African Union standard for harmonising digital passes and health-related screening standards across Africa for seamless travel.

It gives governments and eligible organisations access to a network of platforms for health credential issuance, border risk management, digital public health surveillance, and lab, clinical and vaccination registries.

The statement added that the platforms have been operational since the last quarter of 2020 and have currently fully onboarded, or are finalising the onboarding of 21 major African destinations including Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia, Kenya and Rwanda, with plans to onboard all African countries in the next few months.