Africa Visa Openness Index 2023 reaches a record high

According to the report published on Thursday December 7 by the African Union and the African Development Bank, l'Visa openness index in Africa has made significant progress since the publication of the seventh edition of the report in December 2022. The index score is now higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The African Visa Openness Index measures the degree to which African countries are open to visitors from other African countries.

42 African countries grant visa-free entry to nationals of at least 5 other African countries, while 33 countries do so for nationals of at least 10 countries.

In 28% cases of intra-African travel, African citizens don't need a visaThis is helping to realize the aspirations of a prosperous, integrated continent where people can develop their potential unhindered by the overly restrictive visa regimes of other countries.

• The index reaches its highest level in 2023, slightly exceeding the previous peak in 2020.
• 4 countries have abolished visas for nationals of all African countries (Benin, Gambia, Rwanda and Seychelles). and very soon Kenya).
• The number of countries offering an electronic visa system (e-visa) has almost tripled since 2016, rising from 9 to 24 countries by 2023.

Rwanda and regional organizations in the lead

In 2023, Rwanda established itself as a new champion of visa policy after gradually liberalizing its regime over the past eight years. In 2016, this landlocked country had authorized visa-free entry for citizens of almost 90% other African countries Today, people from the rest of the continent can enter without prior formalities.

E-visa: a growing trend

By 2023, 24 African countries (44 % of the continent) had introduced an e-visa for African nationalscompared with just nine countries (17 % of the continent) in 2016. E-visa is currently seen as a practical solution for facilitating the movement of people, while making visa procedures more secure and transparent.

Africa's champions of open visas in 2023

Benin, Gambia, Rwanda and Seychelles are the main countries currently offering visa-free access to nationals of all other African countries. This policy encourages greater collaboration between the continent's different nations, opening up opportunities to boost trade, tourism and investment.

The importance of open visas for economic development in Africa

The progression of the visa openness index in Africa plays a key role in the continent's regional integration and economic development. The establishment of a continental free trade zone and the facilitation of people mobility can make a major contribution to improving productivity, creating jobs and attracting foreign direct investment.

Now more than ever, the aim is to work towards a highly integrated Africa, where the free movement of goods, services, capital and people between countries becomes a reality.as Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, Vice-President in charge of Regional Development, Integration and Service Delivery at the African Development Bank.

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