Open border regime across Africa that gives liberty on mobility of people presents enormous socio-economic gains than challenges, officials have said.

At the ongoing Second Ministerial meeting of the Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Migration, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, held in Kigali, officials said open visa policy for Africans in Africa will go a long way in facilitating the achievement of Pan-African ideals and Agenda 2063: ‘The Africa We Want.’

The two-day ministerial gathering, which has brought together about 30 African ministers whose docket—immigration and emigration – falls, was preceded by a three-day experts’ meeting, which lay the ground for further discussion on the possible removal of mobility bottlenecks across Africa.

While officiating at the opening of the ministerial meeting, yesterday, Johnston Busingye, the minister for justice, said Rwanda considered issuing visas on arrival for all Africans as well as free entry for some foreign nationals because, and free movement of persons as one of the "basic rights” of citizens.

He argued that such rights should be promoted, protected and not curtailed because free movement of persons is one of the key strategies in achieving Pan-African ideals.

"The gains are enormous and this policy has not created a major security challenge to Rwanda nor has the level of criminality increased in the country because Africans can get visas on arrival,” Busingye said.

Free movement of people across Africa has been met with some reservations especially due to security concerns involved.

But, Busingye, citing Rwanda’s visa-on-arrival policy, downplayed the fears, saying it facilitates the creation of a common identity as Africans which benefit the common African people.

In addition to open visa policy for Africans, Rwanda is also a member the Northern Corridor Integration Projects of the East African Community—a bloc that is using national identity cards as travel document.

The system works between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

The country is also a member of the Great Lakes Economic Countries (CPGL) with DR Congo and Burundi; where the population living in the border areas are allowed to cross either country using a free of charge travel document (border pass) and identity cards.

"We have found all these harmless and not posing any worse challenge than their absence,” said Busingye.

He called on fellow ministers and heads of delegation to iron out the remaining issues in the protocol to the treaty establishing the African economic community relating to free movement of persons, right of residence and right of establishment such that it can start to be implemented in 2018.

This session will consider four main issues in order to facilitate continental unity and integration. These are; free movement of persons; the AU migration policy framework; the common African position on the global compact on migration; and the Horn of Africa Initiative.

Free movement for ‘Africa we want’

Minata Samate Cessouma, the commissioner for political affairs at the African Union Commission, noted that facilitating the free movement of Africans within the continent is "essential in the collective journey toward the Africa we want.”

Free movement of persons and the African Passport in Africa is one of the flagship projects of African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Free movement of persons forms an integral part of the first 10-year implementation plan of Agenda 2063 over the period 2014-2023.

The Commissioner for Social Affairs of the African Union, Amira Elfadil Mohammed, said there must be ‘goodwill’ from member states if this agenda is to be seamlessly implemented.

Rwanda’s Director-General of Directorate of Immigration and Emigration Anaclet Kalibata said free movement of people across Africa is feasible.

"Rwanda has practised it and it clearly indicates that it is possible. Challenges are there but working together (with responsible organs) can eliminate those challenges.

"Interests and benefits are indeed enormous and if everyone does what they are supposed to do right, hindrances of free mobility can be overcome,” he said.

Rwanda assumes STC helm

Meanwhile, Rwanda assumed chairmanship of the STC on Migration, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons for the next two years, from Saharawi Arab Democratic republic.

Busingye, who became the chairperson, told Saturday Times that the goal of his tenure would be to work with all member states and African Union Commission towards addressing collective challenges on African migration, refugees and IDPs.

"Rwanda’s tenure comes at a critical time when the continent is confronted with the rise of irregular migration, reports of fellow Africans facing tremendous hardships, including suicidal attempts to cross to Europe. This is a situation that needs our attention; millions of Africans are looking to us to address the challenge. Silence would not be a good option,” Busingye said.

Africa remains largely closed, with Africans still needing visas to travel to over half of the continent, despite the launch of African Passport in July 2016 during AU summit in Kigali.

The Kigali’s AU Assembly reinforced the urgency for the development of the protocol on free movement of persons.

"The goal is that come January 2018, this protocol will have been adopted by Heads of State,” Busingye said.

According to the 2017 Africa Visa Openness Report produced jointly by the African Development Bank, the African Union Commission and the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Africa, African countries are on average becoming more open to each other whereby 21 of 55 African countries moved upwards in rank on the Index since 2015.

The report further indicates that 47 countries have improved or maintained their visa openness scores.

However, according to the same report, "Africa’s Upper Middle Income countries as a group have low visa openness scores. Eight out of nine of Africa’s Upper Middle Income countries have low visa openness scores,” while "Africa’s small, landlocked and island states are more open, promoting trade links with their neighbours.”

editorial@newtimes.co.rw