AfDB and AU Renew Call for Visa-Free Travel Across Africa
The African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission have reiterated their call for visa-free travel across the continent, positioning mobility as a key factor in advancing Africa’s economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The renewed push came during a High-Level Symposium on Advancing a Visa-Free Africa for Economic Prosperity, held on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa.
Participants noted that while tariff reductions under AfCFTA are progressing, restrictive visa regimes continue to limit trade in services, investment, tourism and labour mobility. Speakers described the freer movement of people as an important complement to trade liberalisation.
Alex Mubiru, Director General for Eastern Africa at the African Development Bank Group, highlighted the role of visa-free travel, interoperable digital systems and integrated markets in supporting enterprise and regional value chains. He called for stronger implementation measures to translate policy frameworks into practical outcomes.
Amma A. Twum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development at the African Union Commission, encouraged faster implementation of existing continental mobility frameworks. Former AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma referenced the African Union’s Agenda 2063, emphasising the relevance of initiatives such as the African Passport and the Free Movement of Persons Protocol.
Ghana’s Trade and Industry Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, shared her country’s experience with open visa policies for African travellers, citing increased business travel and tourism flows.
The symposium also reviewed findings from the latest Africa Visa Openness Index, which indicates that more than half of intra-African travel still requires visas prior to departure. Participants identified this as a constraint on regional commerce.
Mesfin Bekele, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, underscored the importance of aligning visa liberalisation with the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) to improve aviation connectivity.
Regional representatives stressed the need to strengthen border management systems and digital information-sharing to build trust among member states. Advocacy groups called for additional ratifications of the AU Free Movement of Persons Protocol.
The symposium concluded that achieving a visa-free Africa will require coordination across migration policies, digital identity systems and border infrastructure, supported by sustained political commitment.
As a symbolic gesture, attendees signed a “passport wall” to demonstrate support for reforms aimed at facilitating easier movement across African borders. The African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission confirmed their intention to continue working with member states and regional bodies to advance coordinated mobility frameworks across the continent.
Leave a comment