AfDB, AU and World Economic Forum launch Africa Visa Openness Index

The African Development Bank in collaboration with the African Union Commission and the World Economic Forum, launched the second edition of the Africa Visa Openness Index. 

The Index analyses the visa regime in Africa and how open countries are in terms of relaxation or elimination of visa requirements for citizens from other African countries traveling to their countries. 

The report examines which countries are facilitating travel for citizens of other countries and whether they allow people to travel to their country without a visa, with the provision of visa-on-arrival or whether visitors need to get a visa before travel. 

Overall, Africans were able to travel more freely across the continent in 2016, as the visa openness levels improved compared to 2015. However, challenges still remain. 

The second edition highlights pervasive regional differences in visa openness performance. 

For example, 75% of countries in the top 20 most visa-open countries, are either in East or West Africa, while 20% are in Southern Africa. 

Of the top 20 countries, only one country, Mauritania, is from the Northern region, while none is from Central Africa. 

Continent-wide, Ghana made the most progress in 2016 in opening up its borders to African travelers, moving into sixth place in the Index, up sixteen places from 2015. 

Senegal also moved into the top 20 most visa-open countries, up 9 places from 2015 and Tunisia moved 13 places from 2015. 

Seychelles continues to lead the Index and remains the only African country on the continent to offer visa-free access for all Africans.
 
“Despite the size of our group, I need 38 visas to move around Africa” says Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Group.

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