Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda, declared on Thursday that additional steps will be taken to improve the freedom of movement within Africa in order to promote commercial and tourism integration.
All Africans will be able to enter the nation without a visa thanks to this program.
It’s unknown when it will be fully implemented at this time.
In his speech at the 23rd Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council, which is presently being held in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, Mr. Kagame emphasized the need for Africa to overcome the limitations of historically imposed colonial borders, which prevented the continent from realizing the potential of open border trade and cultural integration among its member states.
Africa is “a unified tourism destination,” Mr Kagame said.
“Any African can get on a plane to Rwanda whenever they wish and they will not pay a thing to enter our country,” he added. “We should not lose sight of our own continental market.”
Embracing this vision would not only facilitate easier movement of people within the continent but also strengthen economic ties among African nations. It would lead to more extensive trading networks, providing a fertile ground for businesses to flourish and for African economies to thrive collectively.
The key basis of Mr Kagame’s proposal, tourism, has been repeatedly argued to be an under-explored source of revenue for the continent.
Simplifying travel for Africans within Africa is crucial to boosting tourism and cultural exchanges, allowing the world to discover and appreciate the rich and diverse tapestry of African nations, contributing to economic growth and fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the continent’s unique heritage.
“Africans are the future of global tourism as our middle class continues to grow at a fast pace in the decades to come,” he added.
This policy direction makes Rwanda the fourth country to welcome the open borders initiative for Africans. Other countries that have waived visas to African nationals are Gambia, Benin, and Seychelles.
Kenya’s President William Ruto also announced on Monday that his government plans to allow all Africans to freely travel to the East African nation visa-free by December 31.
“Visa restrictions amongst ourselves are working against us. When people cannot travel, business people cannot travel, entrepreneurs cannot travel, we all become net losers,” Mr Ruto told an international summit in Congo Brazzaville.