Free Movement of People, Goods and Services: A Vital Prerequisite for Development in Africa

Banjul International Airport. Photo source: Accessgambia

The Gambia ranked 18 out of 55 countries in the AfDB Visa Openness Index
with 41% of Africans (no visa), 11% (visa on arrival) and 48% (visa required)

As the world become more and more connected with trading between nations becoming ever so vital, it is of paramount importance for African countries to open up their borders in order to facilitate the free movement of people, goods and services across the entire continent. I was flabbergasted when I recently stumbled onto an on-line article with the headline; ‘it’s easier for North Americans to travel within Africa than Africans themselves.’  

Finding such an article so hard to believe, I did a further research into the matter and to my dismay, it is actually true. The African Development Bank has just launched what they called the first Africa Visa Openness Index, which shows how Africa remains largely closed off to African travellers. 

Global comparisons show that North Americans have easier travel access to the continent than Africans themselves. North Americans require a visa to travel to 45% of African countries, can get visas on arrival in 35% of African countries and don’t need a visa in 20% of African countries.

By contrast, on average Africans need visas to travel to 55% of other African countries, can get visas on arrival in only 25% of other countries and don’t need a visa to travel to just 20% of other countries on the continent. 75% of countries in the top 20 most visa-open countries are in West Africa or East Africa, only one is in North Africa and none are in Central Africa.

The report also highlighted that only 13 out of 55 African countries offer liberal access (no visa) to all African citizens. Among the most open countries are: Seychelles, Mali, Uganda, Cape-Verde, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Burundi, Comoros, Madagascar & Somalia. Sadly there are still 4 countries in the continent with 100% visa requirement for all African citizens. These are: Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome & Principe and Western Sahara.

Of course there are several reasons why intra-Africa trade continue to struggle, but the restrictions to free movement of people, goods and services is up there among the top reasons. And unless this is addressed, all the rhetoric about 'Africa for the Africans' and all the so-called development prospects in the continent will continue to falter. Hopefully the Visa openness is able to break all barriers and ensure that Africans are able to move freely, set up businesses or study anywhere within the continent without any hindrance whatsoever.