Government prohibits group travel of officials, discourages non-essential trips

The government has decided to curb foreign travel by public officials, discouraging such trips except for those deemed absolutely necessary for national interests.

In a new circular issued today (11 December), the government has also prohibited officials from traveling abroad simultaneously in groups unless it is unavoidable.

The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed the issuance of these updated guidelines on Wednesday, which follows a circular released by the Chief Adviser's Office on Monday (9 December).

Similar restrictions were placed in the previous fiscal year due to an ongoing dollar shortage, limiting non-essential foreign travel.

Key directives on foreign travel:

• Public officials are to avoid foreign travel unless absolutely necessary.
• Ministries are required to prepare a forecast of potential foreign trips for the year.
• A centralised database for tracking foreign travel must be developed. The Chief Adviser's Office will oversee its framework and manage the data.
• Officials across all levels are instructed to refrain from traveling abroad in groups.
• Ministers and secretaries are discouraged from traveling abroad together. Exceptions require clear justification based on national interests.
• Secretaries and department heads may only travel together if it serves a critical national purpose.
• Proposals for attending seminars or workshops must include details about the rank of invited officials and counterparts from other participating countries.
• Travel proposals must outline the necessity of the trip and its relevance to the official's responsibilities.
• Only relevant experts should be sent abroad for activities like pre-shipment inspections or factory acceptance tests.
• Low-priority foreign trips funded by government resources must be avoided.
• Recreational travel abroad is strictly prohibited for all government officials.
• Officials are discouraged from taking extended study leaves abroad.
• Travel proposals must include a record of the official's foreign trips in the past year.

The government has reiterated that any exceptions to these rules will require substantial evidence of necessity, ensuring that only essential trips aligned with national priorities are approved. These measures come as part of broader efforts to manage foreign currency reserves and optimise public expenditure.