AU and AfDB push for visa-free Africa
African policymakers, business leaders, and development institutions have renewed calls for visa-free travel across the continent, describing the free movement of people as essential to unlocking economic transformation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The call was reinforced at a High-Level Symposium on Advancing a Visa-Free Africa for Economic Prosperity, co-convened by the African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission on the margins of the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.
Mobility as the Missing Link
Participants framed mobility as the missing link in Africa’s integration agenda. They said that while tariffs are falling under AfCFTA, restrictive visa regimes continue to limit trade in services, investment flows, tourism, and labour mobility.
Alex Mubiru, director general for Eastern Africa at the African Development Bank Group, said that visa-free travel, interoperable digital systems, and integrated markets are practical enablers of regional value chains. He said the evidence supports openness and urged countries to move from incremental reforms to transformative change.
Amma Twum-Amoah, AU commissioner for health, humanitarian affairs and social development, said visa openness is a strategic lever for deepening regional markets. Former AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said that free movement is central to Agenda 2063, noting that Africans must be able to move freely across their continent. She said member states must operationalise initiatives such as the African Passport.
Success stories and infrastructure needs
Ghana’s trade minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, said her country’s experience as an early adopter of open visa policies has resulted in increased business travel, tourism, and investor interest.
However, the latest Africa Visa Openness Index reveals that more than half of intra-African travel still requires visas before departure. Mesfin Bekele, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, said aviation connectivity and visa liberalisation must advance together through the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
Elias Magosi, executive secretary of SADC, said building trust through border management and digital information-sharing systems is vital. Participants said achieving a visa-free Africa will require aligning migration policies, digital identity systems, and border infrastructure alongside sustained political commitment.
The African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission said they will continue working with member states to advance coordinated approaches to mobility, viewed as a cornerstone of Africa’s competitiveness and long-term growth.
