Africa – The Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI) reported its highest score in 2023, surpassing pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels, indicating significant progress in visa openness across the continent. The AVOI is a crucial tool that measures how open African countries are to visitors from other African nations.
According to Africa News Agency, 50 African countries either improved or maintained their 2022 scores in terms of visa openness, with only four countries scoring lower. Since the first report in 2016, 36 countries have improved their scores on the index. Now, 42 countries offer visa-free entry to citizens from at least five other African countries, and 33 countries extend this to citizens of at least ten countries. Remarkably, four countries – Rwanda, Benin, The Gambia, and Seychelles – have eliminated all visa requirements for African travelers.
The report highlights overall improvements in key matrices for 2023. For 28% of all intra-Africa travel scenarios, African citizens do not require a visa, showing progress from 27% in 2022 and 20% in 2016. The requirement for visas has decreased to 46% of travel scenarios, down from 47% in 2022 and 55% in 2016.
Jean-Guy Afrika, Acting Director of the African Development Bank’s Regional Integration Coordination Office, noted the benefits of easier travel for Africans, including visiting family, pursuing education and business interests, and tourism. Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery at the African Development Bank, stressed the role of free movement in galvanizing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Rwanda has emerged as a champion of visa liberalization in 2023, following an 8-year trend of liberal visa policies. In 2016, Rwanda allowed citizens of nearly 90% of African countries to obtain a visa on arrival, and later abolished visa fees for African citizens. In 2023, Rwanda dropped visa requirements for the entire continent. Kenya also plans to remove visa requirements for African travelers by the end of 2023.
The report also assesses visa openness within the AU-recognized Regional Economic Communities (RECs), noting improvements in 6 of the 8 RECs over the past year. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) scores highest on the regional score, with a protocol on the free movement of persons since 1979.
Despite progress, challenges remain. Visa requirements still exist for nearly half of country-to-country travel scenarios in Africa. Recommendations to enhance visa liberalization include implementing commitments within RECs, extending visa-free policies, streamlining visa procedures, and expanding e-visa systems.
The report concludes that further progress in visa openness is crucial for the AfCFTA, emphasizing the link between the free movement of people and continental integration. Ambassador Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development at the African Union Commission, highlighted the importance of liberalizing trade in services and the smooth movement of people for the success of AfCFTA.
The AVOI, published annually since 2016, continues to track changes in countries’ visa openness scores to reflect the evolving nature of travel freedom across Africa.