A visa-free Africa still facing hurdles [Travel]

It is exactly 53 days before the year comes to an end and we usher in 2019. Many of us made resolutions in the beginning of the year…well we have a few days left to accomplish our goals. With this in mind I would like to go back to a major goal that encompasses our continent. The African Union set a 2018 deadline for the removal of visa requirements for all African citizens in all African countries.

The Free Movement of Persons and the African Passport policy was adopted by the African Union at the 27th ordinary session held in Kigali, Rwanda in July 2016.
African states were expected to adopt the African passport and work closely with the AU Commission to facilitate its issuance at the national level based on international, continental and national policy provisions and continental design and specifications.
How far along have we come one may ask? A recent AU report found that Africans can travel without a visa to just 22% of other African countries.

We spoke to Bonney Tunya a senior broadcast journalist at the BBC…who explained why some governments have failed to move forward on this.

Elayne Wangalwa