Africa is the world’s second largest continent in terms of size and population. It is a pool of some of 54 countries on earth and millions of tourists love Africa for its beauty and business incentives. The African Union has launched its continental e-passport program this Sunday as part of the opening ceremony of the 27th Ordinary African Union Summit held in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
Happiness is celebrated in Africa as it was in America after African Union plan of offering a single passport for all citizens across the continent. It’s a dream come true among Africans to also move freely and enjoy resources from different Africa countries without carrying multiple colour passports that mark countries and relevant powers. In a few years Africans will start using a single electronic African Union passport for business and tourism across the entire Africa continent.
The great news was made during the 27th AU summit that took place in Kigali Rwanda by Dr Aisha Abdullahi the African Union Commissioner for political Affairs. He added that at present the system is already being used by Rwanda and Mauritius and none of the two has ever complained apart from having great benefits. The African Union emphasized that the plan is already in the implementation stage and come 2020 all will come to pass. State leaders of Rwanda & Chad Paul Kagame and Idriss Déby were offered first passport copies featured in five languages Shahili,French,English,Arabic and Portuguese and for the moment, the document will be only available for government officials and diplomats.
Taking you back, the plan of single African passport implementation was on the agenda of African union 2063. Looking at the set responsibilities of AU, it started the move in 2015 that aimed at recovering the intra-African trade as well as free movement of domestic goods between member countries making it come true today with the single AU African passport.Dr Aisha Abdullahi in his words said “This would ensure the free movement of people on the continent and our people will not have to carry a visa to gain access to other African states hence free trade of goods”.
The African Development Bank thought about the single African passport is that “The African Union’s vision is matched by a call to action to introduce an African Passport and abolish visa requirements for all African citizens in all African countries by 2018”.currently the Africa development bank is concluding the first Africa visa openness index that ranks African countries on the level of honesty of their visa organizations. Would say Africa as a continent is yet to achieve more successful systems like the other unions across the world that ended passport and visa issues. European Union is the first example to succeed in visa terminations across different countries.
All African Union agendas are a future for Africa as it aims at uniting all Africa states through discussions on lessons how the continent should effectively move to the next level leaving its past behind and achieve the desired strategy in the coming years. However, the AU has identified few projects that will facilitate the achievement of crucial agendas in short terms. African passport, integrated speed train network, and a single African aviation market are one of the main considered. The great news is that the team is very ready to bit the deadline of 2020 the time to silence all Africa continent disturbing issues despite the challenges and difficulties its yet to encounter in the implementation process. The task seems difficult but commitment and dedication will make it things of the past.
Today Africans must have visas to visit other countries in the continent since Africa as a continent has only 13 countries that can be accessed with visa By Africans. Africans should start exploring Africa in both tourism and business like never before promoting different tourist attractions and cultures to the outside world. Non Africans, the trend still stands of taking Africa holidays to any of your favorite country across the continent.
