Is the AU passport a sign of good things ahead?

No, you aren’t dreaming – but please don’t take this to the bank just yet –as a citizen of one of African Union’s (AU) 54 member states, soon you will be able to pack your bags and travel visa-free between member states, all thanks to the much anticipated African Union e-passport scheduled to be launched in Kigali at the weekend. Those set to be the first beneficiaries of the document are AU Heads of State and Government; Ministers of Foreign Affairs; and the Permanent Representatives of AU Member States based at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I know, I know – it was tricky for me to believe it at first, not because I am not pan-Africanist enough, but largely because the AU as an institution has on many occasions passed over other key targets for one reason or another. So, yes, I apologize for the pessimism but historical facts on integration have shaped my expectations. In any case, if you really want to know more about my doubts, then take for example, the 2016 Africa Visa Openness Report released by the African Development Bank; the report indicates that on average, if you hold a passport issued by one of Africa’s 54 states and wish to travel within the continent, there are three key points you need to know: First, before you travel, you will need to secure visas to travel to 55 per cent of other African countries; second, only 25 per cent of African countries will offer you a visa upon arrival; and third, only 20 per cent of African countries will not subject you to any visa requirements. Take a moment to let that sink in. Anyway, back to the good news about the AU Passport project. I am inclined to believe that the AU Passport project started with what has come to be known as Agenda 2063 – an agenda that is both a vision and an action plan, which calls for action from all sections of African society to work together in order to build a thriving unified continent. The agenda was set by AU Heads of State and Government after rededicating themselves to Africa’s accelerated development and technological progress. Accordingly, one of the objectives in Agenda 2063 is to facilitate the free movement of goods, services and people within member states. This, according to some observers, is an attempt to break down borders that were drawn up during colonialism, and move towards a continent “with seamless borders, and management of cross border resources through dialogue”, Agenda 2063 declares in part. Similarly, a communique from Africa’s supreme governing institution explains that the AU passport will “facilitate free movement of persons, goods and services around the continent – in order to foster intra-Africa trade, integration and socio-economic development.” Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the Commission, African Union, also stresses this very point by suggesting that the AU passport, a flagship project of AU’s Agenda 2063, will create “a strong, prosperous and integrated Africa, driven by its citizens and capable of taking its rightful place on the world stage”. But, of course, we have been here many times before; summits have been scheduled and attended, treaties have been signed, and yet, the only outcome has been more meetings and summits preceded by political rhetoric about what should be done rather than what has been done. This isn’t the kind of integration process we want. We need more action and less rhetoric. That much should be clear, and I hope it is. Granted, we all have different ways to explain why Africa hasn’t integrated the way it should – but I hope that there is one aspect we can all agree on: we cannot afford to drag our feet any longer regarding the integration of Africa. When you look into the history books, for instance, you soon realise that even though most African nations gained independence in the early 1960s, many cannot claim to be better off today whether politically, economically, or socially than they were before ‘independence’. Sometimes I even wonder why some nations waste precious resources to celebrate ‘independence’ when even the basic decisions affecting people’s lives are taken directly in Paris, London... What is the point of wasting the little resources at hand? By all means, the AU passport project is a good starting point on an otherwise very long road to full integration of Africa. I am particularly pleased that despite Brexit, the AU has not been put off the model of full integration as some blocs are rumoured to be. I believe that this can be explained in part by the principle of pan-Africanism, but also by the advantages of free movement of goods, services, and people. It should be clear by now that the principle of free movement of goods and services doesn’t just facilitate the creation of a level playing field for member states by ensuring that nations trade with each other without being trapped by tariffs and unnecessary bureaucracy, it can also extend a common set of rules on products as well as their safety standards. People’s movement on the other hand can also help boost tourism, skills, and cultural exchanges. But, all of this has to be implemented as soon as we possibly can. Not in five, ten, or fifteen years as if we have the luxury of time. The fact of the matter is that we don’t have the luxury of time - we forfeited this luxury back then when we dragged our feet. The time for discussions is up, now is the time for implementation. Email: junior.mutabazi@yahoo.co.uk

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Is the AU passport a sign of good things ahead?