An African Union high level strategic dialogue on visa-free movement has made an urgent call for Africa to move towards a common market as soon as possible.
Discussants opined that this would facilitate the free movement of persons as well as goods and services. The move is also expected to shield African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) from the danger of trade deflection associated with third party agreements.
Experts meeting in Adiss Ababa, Ethiopia at a strategic dialogue to accelerate visa-free movement for Africa’s transformation and integration organised by the African development Bank Group and the African Union Commission expect African countries to move to the next stage of economic integration as envisaged under the Abuja treaty 1991.
A message from the Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minierals, Mr. Albert Muchanga, said the continental legislative framework to facilitate that movement, relating to free movement of persons, right of residence and right of establishment, is already in place.
He said “moving to a common market will help Africa achieve a greater level of policy harmonization, free circulation of all the factors of production, as well as development of regional and continental value chains, all of which are crucial for deeper economic integration”.
Despite the urgent need to move, only four (4) African countries namely: Mali, Niger, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe have ratified the protocol which needs 15 ratifications to enter into force according to article 33(1) of the protocol.
Experts called for digitization to help curb the lengthy visa processing time, which more than often discourages those who really want to move across the continent.
Vice president – Regional Development, integration and Business Delivery at the African Development Bank Group, Mrs. Nnenna Nwabufo was happy, the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index Report suggest 39 African countries have improved their visa openness score since 2016, a testament of Africa’s shared commitment to ease travel and foster collaboration across borders.
The report mentioned Benin, Gambia, Rwanda and Seychelles as the champions of visa free movement. These four African countries, according to the report, allow all Africans to enter their country without a visa eliminating visa requirement for fellow travellers.
Mrs. Nnenna Nwabufo opined, despite this progress, “Africa cannot afford to be complacent since significant barriers to intra-African mobility persist”.
She said Africans traveling to other African countries still need visa for at least 70% of the time which is an unacceptable hurdle in 2025 when the goal is to create a single African market under the AfCFTA framework.
