Kenya To Eliminate Visa Requirements For All African Visitors By 2023 Year End.
By Caroline Ameh
Kenyan President William Ruto has announced plans to eliminate visa requirements for all African visitors by the end of this year. The announcement was made during an international conference where President Ruto highlighted the importance of dismantling visa restrictions within the continent.
President Ruto’s declaration comes in support of the African Union’s (AU) long-standing objective to promote visa-free travel throughout Africa. While there have been regional agreements and bilateral arrangements aimed at achieving this goal, progress toward completely unrestricted travel has been sluggish.
Speaking in Congo-Brazzaville, President Ruto underscored the negative impact of visa restrictions on businesses, entrepreneurs, and travelers across the continent. He expressed Kenya’s dedication to changing this scenario, declaring, “As Kenya, by the end of this year, no African will be required to have a visa to come to Kenya.” His announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from conference attendees.
President Ruto emphasized the significance of not confining African youth within the borders of their own continent or Europe. This commitment to open borders and encourage the free movement of people within Africa signifies a major step toward the AU’s vision of a united and integrated African continent.
As of 2022, only three African countries, namely Seychelles, The Gambia, and Benin, permit entry to all African citizens without requiring a visa, according to an AU-endorsed report. Nevertheless, the Africa’s Visa Openness Index, which assesses the accessibility of African nations to visitors from other African countries, shows that many nations have been simplifying entry procedures and reducing restrictions for certain regions. In the 2022 ranking, Kenya stood at the 31st position out of 54 African states on this index.
The announcement was made during a summit that primarily focused on the conservation of the world’s largest rainforests, underlining Kenya’s commitment to both environmental and regional cooperation goals.
