In the freedom of travel policies, Africa visa openness have been revealed to Africa in moving forward which have resulted greater integration as the more states make progress.
A single African air transport market comes on the back of a revived push with an initial pilot involving seventeen African states to facilitate air mobility on the continent.
In 2022, AVOI has to be more open to figures show travel within the continent in order to boost African’s economies by travelling where visa travel are either free and or where they are obtained.
In Africa, 10 countries on a continent have allowed more travelers due to visa openness without restriction. In 2016-2017, only one country had offered visa free however now Benin, the Gambia and Seychelles offer visa –free to Africans from all other countries.
Since 2016, 24 African states now offer an eVisa that’s five more in five years ago whereas others have improved or maintained their visa openness.
During the pandemic, most countries had restricted rules on airports about the visa policy which have now been removed since 2021 thus 50 countries have maintained or improved their score relative.
Since post covid-19, 48 states offer free visa at least to one other African country as nationals and 42 countries offer free visa at least to five other African countries to nationals.
Top 20 lower income countries ranked on the index with liberal visa policies with 45% classifies as low income as well as 45% classified as lower middle-income.
The visa requirements of each country on the continent and tracks changes in their scores over time are analyzed by the AVOI index.
“Africa has made great strides towards returning to pre pandemic normality in 2021-2022” Marie-Laure- Olugbade acting Vice President Regional Development, integration and Business Delivery African Development Bank said.
She added saying that the vast majority of countries eased restrictions on movement; industries that bore the burnt of the pandemic-tourism, hospitality and other are rebounding and travel has surged, both within Africa and around the world. The increase in travel is driven in large part by pent-up personal demand, but also by the realization that many businesses depend on human movement and that investment thrives on it.
The availability of free visas and eVisa are seen as promising development in Africans who have historical faced significant barriers to travel within the continent.
Africa economies have been positive due to easing restrictions which have increased on tourism increase and gaining traction in African Continent Free Trade Area (AFCFTA)
The links between free movement and the development of regional value chains, investment, and trade in services are clear according to African Union Commission Deputy Chairman Monique Nsanzabaganwa.
She continuously said that there is greater recognition that human mobility is the key to Africa’s integration efforts.
The trend towards more open travel policies is seen by analysts and agencies alike as a step in the right direction, coming at a time when Africa’s post –COP recovery needs all the help it can get while there is still room for improvement.
