Rwanda announces visa-free travel for Africans

[justseyi]

Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame, has made a significant announcement, declaring that Rwanda will offer visa-free travel to all Africans. This decision is aimed at promoting the free movement of people and enhancing trade across the continent.

By implementing this measure, Rwanda joins a growing number of African nations pursuing greater integration, akin to Europe’s Schengen zone. The Schengen zone, which includes 27 European countries, has effectively eliminated the need for passports and various border control procedures at their shared borders.

President Kagame unveiled this plan during a speech in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, as reported by local media. He emphasized the vast potential of Africa as a unified tourism destination.

Currently, Africa heavily relies on tourists from outside the continent, constituting 60% of its total visitors, according to data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

Kagame stated, “Any African can board a flight to Rwanda at their convenience, and they won’t be required to pay an entry fee into our country.” He made this announcement during the 23rd Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council, underlining the importance of focusing on the continental market. He emphasized that Africans are the future of global tourism, with the continent’s middle class expected to grow rapidly in the coming decades.

Rwanda is now poised to join the ranks of African nations that have already eliminated travel restrictions for their fellow Africans, following in the footsteps of countries like Gambia, Benin, and Seychelles.

Furthermore, in a recent development, Kenya’s President, William Ruto, has unveiled plans to allow visa-free travel to Kenya for all Africans by the end of the year, further promoting the continent’s interconnectedness.

[Divine]

This is a much welcome development

[Author]

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