It is pleasing to know that the Republic of Ghana has made a historic move of introducing a visa-on-arrival policy, allowing all citizens of African Union (AU) member states to visit the country and obtain visas at a port of entry for a stay of up to thirty 30 days. Africans are celebrating this policy across the continent with a high expectation that other African countries will follow in the footsteps of Ghana.
But we should not forget pioneer countries like Rwanda, Mauritius and Seychelles which introduced same visa-free regime for African citizens and remain hopeful than ever for more countries to join the same path. On the other development, the East African Community has introduced the New Generation Electronic Passport as a good sign moving forward showing that the sub-regional structures are heading in the right direction.
While Europeans and Americans are granted visa-free entry to our shores, Africa is busy respecting and implementing the Berlin Balkanisation in the form of colonial borders. We limit our own and encourage untold suffering, with serious negative impact on trade among ourselves, causing billions of dollars to be siphoned off our shores.
As the seat of the Africa Union, Ethiopia should have implemented a visa-free regime for all member states of the AU long before any other country. South Africa, as the second biggest host country of the AU organs, like Pan African Parliament, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), should ease visa requirements to facilitate the entry of African citizens and their interaction with these crucial organs. And other countries should also follow suit.
Economic debate alone does not influence migration policies. Other considerations, including socio-political aspects, also play a role. However, the cost-benefit analysis of increased mobility can have an even stronger influence in shaping policies that can impact labour migration positively. There is an array of literature and migration models on the economic impact of free labour movement.
Empirical evidence has demonstrated that, free movement will not only encourage economic development. It will also encourage trade, create better opportunities and will drastically reduce unemployment and inequality. Freer movment will also nurture and significantly develop entrepreneurship among other economic and cultural activities. Hence, it is vital to have a visa-free regime.
Those using issues of security as an excuse should realise that they are retarding the development of their economies and the economy of the continent as a whole. Continental free movement of citizens will go a long way to guarantee the achievement and sustainability of AU’s Agenda 2063 goals and foster successful Pan Africanist values.
Eventually, the visa restrictions mean that African countries are losing out. One of the benefits of free movement of people that the visa restrictions have obstructed is development of the tourism sector. Tourism contributes to one in every 11 jobs and nine per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) worldwide. With high youth unemployment, improved tourism could create thousands of jobs and help reduce inequality.
More visitors mean more hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and a growth in transport and entertainment sectors. The impact could be felt in both urban and rural areas according to the African Development Bank.
Currently, and according to Africa Tourism Monitor report, Africa accounts for about 15pc of the world population; it receives only about three per cent of world tourism receipts and five per cent of tourist arrivals. The report further says that visa requirements imply missed economic opportunities for intra-regional trade, and the local service economy (such as cross-country medical services or education).
Visa policies are among the most important governmental formalities negatively influencing international tourism. Businesses beyond tourism are affected too. For any entrepreneur or investor, when choosing a new country to venture into, one of the major considerations is the openness and ease of doing business, with free movement of labour, goods and services as key indicators. These are practices that the continent should emulate to attract foreign direct investment and for local entrepreneurs to consider beyond the border.
Africa’s economy cannot grow in isolation or by miracle. There is need for a realistic regional integration via increased labour mobility. This will enhance the impetus needed to solve the socio-economic challenges the entire region is facing. With proper strategic plans to tackle all these impediments, we might as a result encounter better and more profitable initiatives and other related policies to stimulate continental growth and transformation.
Visas, therefore, have been considered a necessary security measure to tackle the threat of suspected illegal visitors who could pose a security risk to the country. Yet, governments and border officials who are on the frontline of immigration disagree. When visa regimes have opened up, such as in the case of Rwanda, no greater security challenges have been found, and there has been no direct link showing how free movement of people has perpetuated terrorism. A few bad elements should not be used to restrict millions of good citizens who want to travel for leisure or business.
Simply, all the border checks in the world will not keep us safe. Passport controls cannot stop the spread of ideas, and it is ideas, not people, that are the essence of the terrorism that has killed so many around the world.
Free movement in the continent is the best solution for the current challenges the young populations face – extreme poverty, unemployment, inequality and frustration among others. We cannot turn a blind eye on thousands of frustrated youths who are drowning on the shores of Europe and the Middle East in pursuit of greener pastures. Greed, disregard for the rule of law and norms have created immense social injustice in our respective countries. On the horizon, inequality and inter-generational poverty have defined and confirmed Africans youths to a statistical figure – nothing else.
The road to the first stage of the industrialisation ambition in Africa is not doable only by erecting factories; the primary agenda should be creating a wider marketplace within the continent. This could be furthered a great deal at national, sub-regional and regional level based on our competency and strategic advantage for economic growth. However, unless we substantiated this noble idea with free movement of humans and goods, the whole effort will be zero-sum game. Considering such natural truth, our respective leaders should engage to prioritise implementing freedom of movement and a visa-free regime at continental level.
Hence, African leaders and all other stakeholders ought to act quickly in order to reclaim Africa’s lost glory. The focus should be on the development agenda and expediting political and economic integration with high priority for freedom of movement within our continent. This will serve as a pillar of restoring our Pan African values. It is also important to act swiftly in line with Agenda 2063, to introduce an African Passport issued by member states, capitalizing on the global migration towards e-passports, and on the abolition of visa requirements for all African citizens in all African countries by 2018.
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