Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame, has announced the country’s decision to offer visa-free travel to Africans, aiming to promote the free movement of people and trade.
This move aligns Rwanda with other African nations pursuing greater continental integration, akin to Europe’s Schengen zone, which has abolished passport requirements and border controls among its 27 member countries.
Kagame shared this plan during a speech in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
He emphasized the substantial potential of Africa as a unified tourism destination, highlighting that the continent currently heavily relies on tourists from outside Africa, constituting 60% of its total visitors.
Kagame stated, “Any African can get on a plane to Rwanda whenever they wish and they will not pay a thing to enter our country,” said Kagame during the 23rd Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council.
“We should not lose sight of our own continental market. Africans are the future of global tourism as our middle class continues to grow at a fast pace in the decades to come.”
Rwanda joins the ranks of Gambia, Benin, and Seychelles in removing travel restrictions for fellow Africans.
Additionally, Kenya’s President William Ruto has recently disclosed plans to allow visa-free travel for all Africans to Kenya by December 31.
