Visa-free “Africa Passport” to be unveiled on Sunday

African Heads of State and government officials meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, for the 27th African Union Summit besides electing a new chair, they will unveil the African Union passport allowing visa-free travel on Sunday.

The move will not only ease free movement of people, but it will spur economic growth and development as well as promote Intra-African trade.

This is in line with the vision outlined by the AU in its Agenda 2063 policy document, which includes the abolition of visa requirements for all African citizens in all the continent’s countries by 2018. The flagship project was first agreed upon in 2014.

Another great development is Morocco returning to the AU after 32 Years of absence after its withdrawal in 1984.

Regional trade integration has long been a strategic objective for Africa but since the states gained independence, this has not been achieved.

The dream has been outlined in documents like the Lagos Plan of Action and the Abuja Treaty – an indication that the unhampered movement of citizens is critical for Africa’s development.

Former Dr Kwame Nkrumah President of the Republic of Ghana at the inaugural ceremony of the Organization of African Unity, now AU said,” The people of Africa call for a breaking down of boundaries that keep them apart. They demand an end to the border disputes between sister African States – disputes that arise out of the artificial barriers that divided us.”

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Outgoing chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, described the initiative as symbolic calling it a “steady step toward the objective of creating a strong, prosperous and integrated Africa, driven by its own citizens and capable of taking its rightful place on the world stage.”

Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, said the issuance of African passport was one of the African strategic initiatives to disband all movement restrictions, which will eventually create a conducive environment for inter-African trade.

“Rwanda is ready for the AU Passport issuance. Other countries will also be working towards implementation of this decision. The free movement of people in Africa will spur our economic growth,” she said during a press conference Thursday on the sidelines of the African Union Summit at the Kigali Convention Center (KCC), in Rwanda.

“Countries such as Seychelles, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Ghana have taken the lead in ensuring easier intra-Africa travel by relaxing visa restrictions and in some cases lifting visa requirements altogether. The scene seems to be set to realize the dream of visa-free travel for African citizens within their own continent by 2020”, noted the Minister. She added that, issuance of the AU Passport is expected to pave the way for the Member States to adopt and ratify the necessary Protocols and Legislation with the view to begin issuing the much expected African Union Passport.

Aspirations 2 and 7 of Agenda 2063, respectively, envision an Africa that is ‘integrated’ and ‘united’, and the introduction of the Common African Passport as an effort towards realizing integration and unity on the continent.

Ghana already allows visa-free travel for citizens of countries belonging to member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).