Rwanda has formally announced that it will permit visa-free travel for all Africans in a historic move intended to improve intra-African trade and people mobility.
President Paul Kagame unveiled this historic announcement during the 23rd Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council, held in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.
Kagame emphasized the immense potential of Africa as a unified tourism destination and expressed the importance of Africa’s burgeoning middle class in shaping the future of global tourism. He noted that, currently, Africa relies on 60% of its tourists from outside the continent, according to data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
President Kagame stated, “Any African can get on a plane to Rwanda whenever they wish, and they will not pay a thing to enter our country.” This move is expected to facilitate easier travel for Africans across the continent, encouraging tourism, business, and economic growth.
Rwanda’s decision to implement visa-free travel for all Africans will make it the fourth African nation to remove such restrictions. Previously, Gambia, Benin, and Seychelles had already waived visa requirements for African nationals.
This announcement follows Kenya’s President William Ruto’s declaration earlier this week, revealing plans to allow visa-free travel for all Africans to the East African nation by December 31.
President Ruto stressed the importance of dismantling visa restrictions among African nations, as these restrictions hinder travel for businesspeople, entrepreneurs, and others, ultimately hampering economic growth.
The African Union (AU) has long championed the vision of a united continent, and in 2016, it launched the African passport, which was anticipated to rival the European Union model by facilitating the free movement of people within Africa. However, as of now, only diplomats and AU officials have been issued this travel document.
The African Union’s pursuit of the African Passport and the free movement of people is intended to eliminate restrictions on Africans’ ability to travel, work, and live within their own continent.
Additionally, the AU has also introduced the African Continental Free Trade Area, a continent-wide free trade initiative estimated to be worth $3.4 trillion. This ambitious project aims to create a single unified market for the continent’s 1.3 billion people, further bolstering economic development and integration across Africa.