Rwandan President Paul Kagame has introduced visa-free travel for all Africans, making Rwanda the fourth African country to do so. Rwanda has been on a campaign to boost its tourism sector, partnering with football clubs like Arsenal and Bayern Munich to promote the country as a tourist destination.
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This week, Kenya’s President William Ruto announced that the country would end visa requirements to all African visitors by 2024 with the aim of boosting trade with African countries. Ruto noted the low rate of intra-African trade and urged to reduce customs tariffs within the African continent to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
While there are regional deals and bilateral arrangements, progress towards no restrictions has been slow. Rwanda now joins Seychelles, The Gambia and Benin in offering entry to all African citizens without a visa.
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The AU reportedly launched its African passport in 2016. The idea behind the passport is for all African citizens to be able to travel throughout the continent without visas – but it is still not widely available.