African Development Bank Group And African Union Renew Push For Visa — Free Travel To Accelerate Africa’s Economic Transformation. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — The African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission have jointly called for the implementation of visa-free travel across the African continent, emphasizing its importance in fostering economic growth and integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Participants at a High-Level Symposium on Advancing a Visa-Free Africa for Economic Prosperity, held in conjunction with the 39th African Union Summit, highlighted the need for aligned migration policies, digital identity systems, and enhanced border infrastructure to facilitate visa-free travel.
The symposium underscored the free movement of people as a key factor in unlocking Africa’s economic potential within the AfCFTA framework. Alex Mubiru, Director General for Eastern Africa at the African Development Bank Group, emphasized the practical benefits of visa-free travel and interoperable digital systems for fostering enterprise and innovation. “The evidence is clear.
The economics support openness.
The human story demands it,” Mubiru told attendees, advocating for transformative change over incremental reforms. Amma A.
Twum — Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development at the African Union Commission, stressed the need for a faster implementation of existing continental frameworks, highlighting visa openness as a strategic tool for regional market deepening and collective crisis response.
Former AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini — Zuma echoed the sentiment, reiterating that free movement is central to the African Union’s Agenda 2063. She called for the operationalization of initiatives like the African Passport and the Free Movement of Persons Protocol.
Ghana’s Trade and Industry Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, shared her country’s positive experience with open visa policies for African travelers, noting increased business travel, tourism, and investor interest as benefits of greater openness.
The symposium also presented findings from the Africa Visa Openness Index, which revealed that over half of intra — African travel still requires visas before departure, a situation seen as a significant hindrance to intra-continental commerce. Participants concluded that achieving a visa-free Africa would necessitate coordinated approaches to mobility, which is considered a cornerstone of Africa’s integration and long-term growth.
A symbolic “passport wall” signing by attendees demonstrated support for accelerated reforms to facilitate easier cross-border movement for African citizens.
The African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission intend to continue working with member states and regional bodies to advance these coordinated approaches. Further details are expected as the initiative progresses.
