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WORLD NEWS Thursday 7 december 2017

A borderless Africa? Some countries open doors, raise hopes

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA cent, while trade among
Associated Press European Union states is at
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — 70 percent, Mahamat told
For years African leaders AU trade ministers on Fri-
have toyed with the idea day.
of free movement by citi- For a continent whose
zens across the continent, leaders often speak fondly
even raising the possibility of “African brotherhood”
of a single African passport. and once pondered the
Now some African coun- idea of a United States of
tries are taking bold steps Africa, the visa policies of
to encourage borderless many countries for many
travel that could spur trade years suggested little prog-
and economic growth on ress in implementing the
a continent in desperate continent-wide, visa-free
need of both. ideal advocated by the
Kenyan President Uhuru Ke- AU.
nyatta announced during Africans can get a visa on
his inauguration last week arrival in 24 percent of Af-
that the East African com- rican countries, yet North
mercial hub will now give Americans, for example,
visas on arrival to all Afri- have easier access on the
cans. That follows similar continent, according to a
measures by nations includ- 2017 report on visa open- Participants gather for a group photo for the 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the
ing Benin and Rwanda. ness by the African De- African Union, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. For years African leaders have toyed with the idea of
free movement by citizens across the continent, even raising the possibility of a single African
“The freer we are to travel velopment Bank. African passport, and while that ambition may be years from reality, some African countries are taking
and live with one another, Union figures show Africans bold steps to encourage borderless travel.
the more integrated and need visas to travel to 54 (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)
appreciative of our diver- percent of the continent. Lakes Institute for Strate- that in 2018 citizens of all going visa-free by region
sity we will become,” Ke- Free migration of people gic Studies. “It should have countries will benefit from first. Weeks ago, the Cen-
nyatta said. across the continent would been done a long time the policy. tral African Economic and
The African Union has help in talent exchange as ago.” “We are happy that other Monetary Community re-
cheered such steps, call- well as trade, said Ali Abdi, Change is coming, and not African countries are open- moved visa requirements
ing it the direction the the Uganda chief of mission just in East Africa. While vis- ing their borders up for Af- for citizens of its six mem-
54-nation continent needs at the International Organi- iting Rwanda last year, Be- ricans to increase foreign bers.
to take. “I urge all Afri- zation for Migration. Coun- nin’s President Patrice Talon investments,” said Olivier Many African countries rely
can states that have not tries may have to invest said his West African coun- Nduhungirehe, a deputy heavily on tourism for for-
yet done so to take similar more in border patrols but try would no longer require foreign minister in Rwanda eign currency. Kenya’s new
measures,” AU Commission “the benefits far outweigh visas for other Africans. He in charge of regional inte- visa policy was welcomed
chairman Moussa Faki Ma- the costs, in my view.” said he was inspired by gration. Opening borders in a country where the
hamat said on Twitter after Kenya’s decision is a “good Rwanda, whose govern- will spur economic prosper- threat by Islamic extremists
Kenya’s announcement. move and it’s progressive,” ment started issuing visas ity for the entire continent, based in neighboring So-
Trade among African said Godber Tumushabe on arrival to Africans in 2013 he said. malia has deterred some
countries is at just 16 per- with the Uganda-based and recently announced Some African countries are international travelers.q

AU to help evacuate 15,000 migrants from Libya this year

By CARLEY PETESCH the AU’s deputy chairman tion for Migration says more little as $400. Thousands of ($1,600) to one Nigerian
HILARY UGURU said Tuesday. than 423,000 migrants have migrants make their way called Mr. Fix It in 2016 to
Associated Press Between 400,000 and been identified in the cha- to Libya in hopes of even- facilitate my illegal journey
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The 700,000 African migrants otic North African country, tually reaching Europe via to Europe through Libya
African Union and mem- are in dozens of camps most of them from impov- the Mediterranean, often across the Mediterranean
ber states will repatriate across Libya, often un- erished countries across facing desertion and inhu- Sea.
more than 15,000 migrants der inhumane conditions, sub-Saharan Africa. mane treatment by smug- But on getting to Libya, he
stranded in Libya by the AU Commission chairman Libya’s modern-day slav- glers. abandoned all of us to our
end of the year amid out- Moussa Faki Mahamat told ery came to international One Nigerian recently re- fate,” the man said, speak-
rage over recent footage a summit of European and attention after the CNN patriated told The Associ- ing on condition of ano-
that showed migrants be- African leaders last week. footage showed migrants ated Press about his ordeal. nymity because of fears for
ing auctioned off as slaves, The International Organiza- being auctioned off for as “I paid 500,000 naira his security.q