African Union to launch Common e-Passport for 54 member-countries
- SitiTalkBlog
- Jul 9, 2016
- 1 min read
Photo credit: Public domain
African plans to go “borderless” as African Union (AU) announces plans to launch a common electronic passport that will grant holders visa-free access to all 54 member-countries of the group. Announcing on July 6, 2016, AU said the passport was a step towards accomplishing the Agenda 2063 action plan: to promote greater continental integration and forge a united Africa.
According to the AU, the passports will be distributed to all African citizens by 2018. The 27th African Union Summit is scheduled to take place from 10-18 July 2016, in Kigali, Rwanda, will bring together heads of state, ministers and the business community from the 54 countries, to discuss on Africa-focused issues. The announcement was quoted as stating that, “Countries such as Seychelles, Mauritius, Rwanda and Ghana, have taken the lead in ensuring easier intra-Africa travel by relaxing visa restrictions and in some cases, lifting visa requirements altogether…“The scene seems to be set to realize the dream of visa-free travel for African citizens within their own continent by 2020.”
Heads of states, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representatives of AU member-states based at the AU Headquarters in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia will be issued the initiative. The AU announcement also stated that, “Issuance of the AU e-Passport is expected to pave the way for member-states to adopt and ratify the necessary protocols and legislation, with a view to begin issuing the much expected African passport.”
Many Africans are concerned about the implementation of the common e-Passport for fear of potential increased terrorism as militants and Islamic extremists will also be able to move freely from one AU country to another.
