The importance of Regional Integration in Africa towards achieving development through increased business opportunities cannot be over emphasized.
While many African countries continue to drag their feet in implementing the policy, a few others have gone ahead to take the bull by the horn and open their borders to African travelers, thereby easing tourism and business across the continent.
President of the African Development Bank Group, Akinwumi A. Adesina could not have put it any better when he said:
“Regional integration and trade based upon the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital is at the core of the business of the African Development Bank.”
The Africa Visa Openness Index Report is released yearly to recognize the countries in Africa that have accepted that Africa is one, and have allowed African travelers from other countries to freely enter their borders with very little or no restrictions.
Benin Republic gained top spot on the 2018 Report which was just released after the West-African nation introduced a visa free policy for all nationals of African countries, joining Seychelles in the category of most visa open nations on the continent.
The index, developed by African Union and the African Development Bank, for three years now, shows that African countries are becoming more open to each other.
A few months ago, Ethiopia announced its decision to adopt a visa-on-arrival for African nationals.
Speaking on the development, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Ambassador Kwesi Quartey said:
“Ethiopia’s decision to introduce a visa-on-arrival regime for all African passport holders shows that Africa is indeed on an upward trajectory towards seamless borders and the free movement of its people,"Below are the top 10 visa-open nations in Africa for 2018
| Rank | Country | Visa Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1= | Seychelles | Visa Free (53) |
| 1= | Benin | Visa Free (53) |
| 3= | Rwanda | Visa Free (15) , Visa on Arrival (38) |
| 3= | Togo | Visa Free (15), Visa on Arrival (38) |
| 5 | Guinea-Bissau | Visa Free (14), Visa on Arrival (39) |
| 6 | Uganda | Visa Free (18), Visa on Arrival (34), Visa Required (1) |
| 7 | Ghana | Visa Free (17), Visa on Arrival (35), Visa Required (1) |
| 8 | Cape Verde | Visa Free (16), Visa on Arrival (36), Visa Required (1) |
| 9 | Kenya | Visa Free (18), Visa on Arrival (33), Visa Required (2) |
| 10 | Mozambique | Visa Free (9), Visa on Arrival (44) |
Note that this report was compiled before Ethiopia and Botswana announce the Visa on Arrival policies that further indicate the commitment to opening their respective boarders to Africans.
Header Image: 100dorog.ru