Doha: About 17,000 passengers and 6,300 vehicles crossed the Abu Samra Border during Eid Al Fitr, said Acting Head of the Passengers’ Customs Section at Abu Samra Border Checkpoint, Abdullah Al Jaber.
“Following the directives from the authorities concerned, Abu Samra Border of Qatar with Saudi Arabia reopened on February 14, 2021, for passengers and trade between both countries,” Al Jaber told a Qatar Radio programme.
He said that in cooperation with the departments concerned in the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), and Ministry of Interior (MoI), these passengers and cargoes were received and screened at the checkpoint during Eid Al Fitr.
“The rules and regulations were made for how goods at Abu Samra Border Checkpoint would pass through. The truck drivers from Saudi Arabia passing through the checkpoint should obtain a health certificate of PCR test showing they are free from COVID-19 infection, certified by the Saudi Arabia Health Ministry,” Al Jaber said.
He added that the health certificate should be valid at least 72 hours before the date of entry.
“The foreign (international) drivers and trucks carrying goods to Qatar will not be allowed to enter in Qatar through Abu Samra border as the goods will be unloaded and reloaded in local trucks by importers or those representing them based on prior coordination with customs at the border Checkpoint,” Al Jaber added.
He stressed that the foreign trucks and drivers would be returned to Saudi Arabia directly after unloading their goods and completing the procedures at the border.
“All importers using the Abu Samra Border Checkpoint should prepare local trucks suitable for transporting the goods. They should notify the customs authority at the Abu Samra border of the timing and number of trucks in advance to ease the procedures of entry,” Al Jaber said.
