Africa Visa Openness Report 2018 AFRICAN UNION

Transcription

1 Africa Visa Openness Report 2018 AFRICAN UNION

2 Regiona integration and trade based upon the free movement of persons, goods, services and capita is at the core of the business of the African Deveopment Bank we must acceerate investments in regiona and nationa infrastructure, especiay, to boost connectivity, reduce costs and raise competitiveness. Akinwumi A. Adesina President, African Deveopment Bank Group 1

3 What is happening on visas in Africa matters. The backdrop is a historic one, with a growing number of African countries moving to buid ties through trade, open up the continent s skies and promote free movement of peope. From being seen simpy as a question of forms, fees and formaities, a country s decision to aow visa-free or visa-on-arriva access is making a steady buzz in poicy circes and in the media. Frontrunners have been inspiring more open border poicies across the continent. As visa and trave document soutions catch on and use of digita technoogy streamines the visa process, more African traveers can take up tourism, investment and business opportunities. As Africans start to enjoy greater access to a higher number of countries Africa-wide, the continent s wecoming visa poicy is gearing up to attract goba visitors. 1

4 The Africa Visa Openness Index The Africa Visa Openness Index measures how open African countries are when it comes to visas by ooking at what they ask of citizens from other countries in Africa when they trave. It aims to show at a gance which countries are faciitating trave for citizens of other countries and how; whether they aow peope to trave to their country without a visa, if traveers can get a visa on arriva in the country, or if visitors need to get a visa before trave. Data on visa openness was coected in June and Juy The primary source of information was the Internationa Air Transport Association (IATA). The Africa Visa Openness Index is tracking changes in country scores over time to show which countries are making improvements that support freer movement of peope across Africa. In future editions, the Report wi ook at how countries are faciitating visa openness by cutting time, reducing costs, or simpifying the visa process as we as how far a visitor s experience on the ground matches up to the agreements or visa poicies in pace on paper. Methodoogy The higher a country s score in the Index, the more visaopen it is and the higher it ranks. Scores range from 0 1 (highest). Index categories: n Visa required n Visa on arriva n No visa Each category is weighted based on its degree of openness. For exampe, a no visa resut is weighted by 1 (high openness), visa on arriva is weighted by 0.8 and a visa required by 0. Contents The High 5 for transforming Africa 4 Foreword, African Deveopment Bank 5 African Union s Agenda Foreword, African Union Commission 7 Visa openness in Africa 9 Visa openness findings, Visa openness progress, Case studies: countries moving up in Benin 16 Rwanda 17 Kenya 17 Senega 18 Zimbabwe 18 Regiona mobiity across Africa 19 Media headines on visa openness 20 Countries and regions ooking to open up on visas 20 Ethiopia 20 Namibia 20 CEMAC 20 Visa openness: top performers and reformers, Goba context for visa opennesss 22 Visa openness soutions in Forward ook 23 Index category indicators based on 54 African countries:* n Number of countries from whose citizens a visa is required as a % of tota number of countries n Number of countries whose citizens can get a visa on arriva as a % of tota number of countries n Number of countries from whose citizens no visa is required as a % of tota number of countries A country s score is cacuated by adding the resuts from a three indicators: [ (% of visa required x 0) + (% of visa on arriva x 0.8) + (% of no visa x 1) ] / 100 = country visa openness score. * A African Union member countries except Western Sahara, which was not ranked due to a ack of avaiabe information. 2

5 Acknowedgements The 2018 Africa Visa Openness Index now in its third edition is the joint work of the African Deveopment Bank (AfDB), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Word Economic Forum Goba Agenda Counci on Africa. The first two editions in 2016 and 2017 energised the debate on free movement of peope among African governments, businesses, investors and traveers. This atest report has drawn inspiration from the poicy and media discussions on visa openness across Africa. The AfDB and AUC senior management continue to be strong champions in driving visa openness in Africa and warm acknowedgement goes to their eadership on the Index. The project was ed by Jean-Guy Afrika, with vauabe support from Oumar Sissoko in cacuating the Index and Marie Anitha Jaotody. Warm acknowedgement aso goes to the report s top contributors incuding Andoh Mensah and Gerad Ajumbo. Specia recognition goes to consutants for the AfDB: Eena Immambocus for writing the report; Peggy King Cointepas for the design and graphics; and José Caros Aexandre for the images. Moono Mupotoa Director, Regiona Deveopment and Regiona Integration 3

6 The High 5s of the African Deveopment Bank set out the path ahead for Africa s prosperity. By achieving the High 5s, Africa can meet around 90% of the United Nation s Sustainabe Deveopment Goas and Agenda We wi continue to invest in our High 5s to Light up and power Africa; Feed Africa; Integrate Africa; Industriaize Africa; and Improve the quaity of ife for the peope of Africa. Africa is open for business... We are now on a highway to boosting Africa s prosperity, through greater trade and investments without borders among our nations. Akinwumi A. Adesina President, African Deveopment Bank Group3 The High 5s are cosey connected and mutuay reinforcing. Integrate Africa sets out specific goas on infrastructure, trade and investment, and the movement of peope across the continent. Opening up visa regimes wi hep to capitaise on Africa s regiona market, aowing African traders and investors access to get invoved in Africa-wide transactions. To further drive Africa s economic and socia deveopment, the first Africa Investment Forum,4 championed by the African Deveopment Bank, wi be hed AFRICA'S INVESTMENT MARKET PLACE in November The Forum wi be a unique marketpace for getting Africa s investment projects off the ground. In this context, free movement of peope promotes regiona integration and makes even better business sense. As infrastructure expands across Africa, and tangibe trade and investment opportunities are put on the tabe, Africans need to trave with greater ease. 4 Integrate Africa 5 Goa to 2025 Regiona market n Buiding regiona infrastructure n Boosting intra-african trade & investment n Faciitating movement of peope across borders

7 Foreword, African Deveopment Bank Trave is something that unites us a. But it shoud be open to a Africans. It cannot remain a priviege for a few, a ottery dependent on your passport and chosen destination. When we board a pane, catch a bus, step on a train, get in a car, or move on foot we are simpy traveers. At borders and crossings, you see African men, women, young peope, soe traveers and famiies either coming, going or in transit. The trave experience is African integration in action. Tourists, investors, business peope and students a positivey impact a country s economy when they move more freey. As we as driving growth and investment, trave connects cutures and transfers ideas, and this soft impact brings African unity to ife. The African Deveopment Bank is proud to see how the Africa Visa Openness Index now in its third edition is championing easier trave for Africans. With a simpe poicy shift to iberaise visa regimes, countries can tap into the economic benefits of opening up borders and join the upward trend on integration. It s heartening to see the progress since 2016, with a quarter of a countries now aowing African citizens to visit without need for a visa. Average scores of the top 10 and 20 countries in the Index rose, 15 countries moved up in rank, and a new country, Benin, joined Seychees in offering visa-free access for a Africans. Yet the question remains: does this go far enough and what opportunities are being missed when day in, day out, Africans sti need visas to trave to just over haf of the continent? More countries and regiona bocs announced pans to open borders in 2017 and 2018, and this is wecome. Sti, more can be done by governments and poicymakers to drive visa openness soutions. From offering visas-on-arriva to visa-free regiona bocs, there is a wide menu of choices avaiabe. The top performers on the Index have aready reaped the benefits of ibera visa poicies, efficient digita systems and trave document soutions. The African trave experience is in our coective hands. Let s take action to keep Africa moving. Dr. Khaed F. Sherif Vice-President, Regiona Deveopment, Integration and Business Deivery 5

8 African Union s Agenda ASPIRATION 2. An integrated continent, poiticay united based on the ideas of Pan Africanism and the vision of Africa s Renaissance. 20. We aspire that by 2063, Africa sha: Be a United Africa; Have word cass, integrative infrastructure that criss-crosses the continent; Have dynamic and mutuay beneficia inks with her Diaspora; and Be a continent with seamess borders, and management of cross border resources through diaogue. 24. Africa sha be a continent where the free movement of peope, capita, goods and services wi resut in significant increases in trade and investments amongst African countries rising to unprecedented eves, and strengthen Africa s pace in goba trade. A CALL TO ACTION 72. We hereby adopt Agenda 2063, as a coective vision and roadmap for the next fifty years and therefore commit to speed-up actions to:. Introduce an African Passport, issued by Member states, capitaising on the goba migration towards e-passports, and with the aboishment of visa requirements for a African citizens in a African countries by AFRICAN UNION There is tremendous vaue in the African Union s fagship initiatives, such as Agenda 2063 the Singe African Air Transport Market is a major step forward for transportation. We are neary ready to adopt the Continenta Free Trade Area Freedom of movement for peope in Africa is equay important, and it is achievabe in By committing to break down these barriers, we wi send a tremendous signa in Africa and beyond, that it is no onger business as usua. Pau Kagame President of Rwanda, African Union Chairperson Singe African Air Transport Market A number of fagship projects of Agenda 2063 moved further ahead in 2018, inked to making it easier for Africans to trave across the continent. At the African Union Summit in January, the Singe African Air Transport Market (SAATM) was aunched, signed by 23 countries. 8 The SAATM aims to promote trade, investment and tourism, creating more jobs and growth. African Continenta Free Trade Area The African Continenta Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was officiay estabished in March 2018 and adopted by cose to 50 countries. The AfCFTA adds renewed impetus to removing obstaces to trave, trade and invest in Africa. 9 Visa openness poicies break down borders and can hep to capitaise on these miestones, driving Africa s growth and deveopment. Free Movement Protoco With the Free Movement Protoco adopted by 30 countries at the aunch of the AfCFTA, 10 easing trave restrictions for African citizens took another important step forward. This foows the 2016 aunch of the African Union passport for African heads of state and high-eve representatives. The next phase of the passport wi be roed out for African citizens. 6

9 Foreword, African Union Commission A burst of energy accompanied deveopments towards a more integrated Africa in The estabishment of a free trade area and singe sky across Africa herads a vibrant new era. Across fagship programmes of the African Union s Agenda 2063, there are signs of progress. From the infrastructure connecting cities, to agricutura transformation in vaue chains, aongside acceeration of skis deveopment and internet access, to financia integration. Breaking down barriers for Africans to move with greater ease is inked to a these goas. At the foundation of Africa s coective vision is the need for Africans to have right of entry across Africa, in terms of visa-free access to other countries, and an African passport for a. The signing of the Free Movement Protoco is a strong indication that this is within reach. The atest edition of the Africa Visa Openness Index shows that progress has been steadfast. In 2018, 43 countries improved or maintained their visa openness score, with a rise in the average score between Yet, ease of access varies region by region, and the top 10 performers are far ahead, with an average score of neary doube the overa average. Africa s deveopment dynamics remain positive, but there are inequaities and vunerabiities to be addressed in a regions on the continent. In particuar, sma and medium-sized enterprises, youth, and women need more channes to activey participate in economic ife. Tourism is one sector, which offers this promise and is aready on a strong growth trajectory. Against this backdrop, the Index wi continue to be an increasingy important poicy too for review and refection, and hep to reinforce the free movement of peope across Africa. The top performing countries on the Index have accrued big benefits in the tourism industry, and the impact is reaching further sti. Accompanied by business reforms and infrastructure investments, openness on visas is being used as part of a virtuous circe to drive growth. What remains is to capitaise on the poitica wi driving Africa s integration in 2018, and to transate this into tangibe benefits for a. A visa-free Africa is not ony possibe, but vita. H.E Kwesi Quartey Deputy Chairperson African Union Commission 7

10 Gossary AfCFTA African Continenta Free Trade Area AfDB African Deveopment Bank Group AUC African Union Commission AU African Union CEMAC Centra African Economic and Monetary Union CEN-SAD Community of Sahe-Saharan States EAC East African Community ECCAS Economic Community of Centra African States ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States evisa Eectronic visa GDP Gross Domestic Product HIC High income country IATA Internationa Air Transport Association IOM Internationa Organization for Migration LIC Low income country LMIC Lower midde income country OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Deveopment REC Regiona Economic Community SAATM Singe African Air Transport Market SADC Southern African Deveopment Community SME Sma and medium-sized enterprise UMA Arab Maghreb Union UMIC Upper midde income country USD United States doar WEF Word Economic Forum WTTC Word Trave & Tourism Counci Definitions A VISA is an endorsement (through a certificate or stamp in a trave document) showing a visitor is aowed to enter the country for a specific ength of time and for specific activities. VISA REQUIRED means a visa has to be obtained before departure from an embassy, an honorary consuate or another officia representative. VISA ON ARRIVAL means a visa has to be obtained on arriva in the country. This incudes fiing out any visa forms, paying the visa fee if appicabe and receiving a visa in a trave document. NO VISA means that there is no visa needed either before departure or on arriva, with no entry authorisation required to enter freey into the country. Entry procedures sti need to be compied with these can incude fiing out entry forms and receiving an entry stamp. evisa means an eectronic visa that can be obtained before departure from an officia onine patform. 8

11 Visa overview VISA OPENNESS means how easy it is for visitors to trave to a country when it comes to visas. A MORE VISA-OPEN COUNTRY has a ibera or reaxed visa poicy for traveers, so that visitors either do not need a visa when they enter or can get a visa on arriva. A more visa-restrictive country requires visitors to get a visa before they trave, for exampe, from an Embassy. VISAS ARE USED FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, as a security measure to contro the entry and duration of the stay of peope coming into a country, to imit a visitor s activities, to generate revenue or to show reciprocity to match the treatment other countries give to one s citizens. Visa openness in Africa In 2018, the African Continenta Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Singe African Air Transport Market were aunched, and progress was made on the Free Movement of Persons Protoco. The AfCFTA was signed by cose to 50 countries at the AU Summit in March 2018, aongside the Kigai Decaration and the Free Movement Protoco. 11 The AfCFTA creates one African market of 1.2 biion peope, with a GDP of US$2.5 triion, that has the potentia to boost intra-african trade by 52% by 2020, 12 benefitting African producers, consumers and traders. The deveopments on Free Movement of Persons pave the way for countries to take steps towards aowing African citizens rights of residence and estabishment Africa-wide. The Singe African Air Transport Market aunched in January 2018 marks another miestone to improve air connectivity that means faster, cheaper and accessibe trave across Africa. 13 An Africa with open borders and open skies is open for business. And, the upcoming Africa Investment Forum aims to connect the continent s investors and fast-track investments. 14 Removing obstaces for Africans to visit, expore, and invest in the continent fits into this context. More countries are putting in pace visa-free or visa-on-arriva access to catayse tourism and attract investment, aongside measures to improve their business environment. Digita technoogy is expanding Africa-wide, as government systems are streamined and more countries offer evisas, promoting efficiency and increasing access to information. The priorities on how to forge coser connections across countries in Africa have been set. What happens next, as countries foow the trend towards visa openness, is worth watching. Visa openness onine patform A visa openness onine patform is avaiabe at The patform showcases how African countries are performing on visa openness overa and the progress being made on scores and rankings on a yeary basis. To promote greater transparency, the patform highights the visa poicy of each country from a centraised hub. 9

12 Visa openness findings, 2018 African countries on average are becoming more open to each other, with indications that trave within the continent is getting easier. Compared to 2017 and 2016, progress has been made in 2018 against visa openness indicators. Africans currenty do not need a visa to trave to more countries than in previous years, and they need visas to trave to fewer countries. However, the fact that Africans sti require visas to trave to just over haf of other African countries shows more progress is needed to reaise free movement of peope continent-wide. Average visa openness n Africans do not need a visa to trave to 25% of other African countries (up from 22% in 2017, and 20% in 2016). n Africans can get visas on arriva in 24% of other African countries (aso 24% in 2017, and 25% in 2016). n Africans need visas to trave to 51% of other African countries (down from 54% in 2017, and 55% in 2016). Average visa openness, % Africans do not need a visa to trave to 25% of other African countries Change in visa openness scores, % 51% Africans can get visas on arriva in 24% of other African countries Africans need visas to trave to 51% of other African countries countries improved their visa openness score % Change in visa openness scores, (%) 6 55% 54% 51% 0 6 countries maintained their visa openness score 54 20% 22% 25% 25% 24% 24% Africans do not need a visa to trave to other African countries Africans can get visas on arriva in other African countries Africans need visas to trave to other African countries 0 11 countries showed a decrease in their their visa openness score 54 Average visa openness scores, u u u ALL countries TOP 20 countries TOP 10 countries 10

13 Visa openness in Africa 2018: country scores and ranking Seychees Benin Rwanda Togo Guinea-Bissau Uganda Ghana Cabo Verde Kenya Mozambique Mauritania Mauritius Senega Comoros Djibouti Madagascar Somaia Tanzania Gambia Zimbabwe Burkina Faso Maawi Zambia Tunisia Côte d'ivoire Mai Guinea Niger Nigeria Botswana eswatini (Swaziand) Lesotho Sierra Leone South Africa Centra African Repubic Liberia Chad Namibia Repubic of Congo Morocco Gabon Angoa Cameroon São Tomé and Príncipe DRC Ageria Burundi Egypt South Sudan Ethiopia Eritrea Libya Sudan Equatoria Guinea Western Sahara LOW HIGH u SCORE Scores range from 0-1 (highest possibe) Source : AfDB cacuation based on data obtained from IATA June-Juy, SCORE RANK N/A -- 11

14 Visa openness in Africa by category: no visa, visa on arriva, visa required Seychees Benin Rwanda Togo Guinea-Bissau Uganda Ghana Cabo Verde Kenya Mozambique Mauritania Mauritius Senega Comoros Djibouti Madagascar Somaia Tanzania Gambia Zimbabwe Burkina Faso Maawi Zambia Tunisia Côte d'ivoire Mai Guinea Niger Nigeria Botswana eswatini (Swaziand) Lesotho Sierra Leone South Africa Centra African Repubic Liberia Chad Namibia Repubic of Congo Morocco Gabon Angoa Cameroon São Tomé and Príncipe DRC Ageria Burundi Egypt South Sudan Ethiopia Eritrea Libya Sudan Equatoria Guinea Western Sahara No visa Visa on arriva Visa required (a visa must be obtained before departure and is not an evisa) NUMBER OF COUNTRIES NUMBER OF COUNTRIES *Scores range from 0 to 1 (highest) Source : AfDB cacuation based on data obtained from IATA June-Juy, SCORE N/A 12

15 Access overview Faciitating visa access improved in 2018, with sighty more countries offering ibera access to a Africans, whie the number of countries offering visas on arriva to a Africans stayed the same. More countries offered evisas in 2018, an increase of seven countries from African countries () offer ibera access (visa-free or visa on arriva) to a Africans (up from 10 in 2017, and 13 in 2016). 4 African countries () offer visa on arriva to a Africans (aso 4 in 2017, and 3 in 2016). Regiona overview Free movement of peope continues to vary region by region, in part refecting regiona poicies. In 2018, the top 20 countries incude the same number of countries in East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa and North Africa as in 2017, and no countries in Centra Africa. 8 countries in the top 20 most visa-open countries are in East Africa (Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychees, Somaia, Uganda and Tanzania). 7 countries in the top 20 most visa-open countries are in West Africa (Benin, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Senega and Togo). 4 countries in the top 20 most visa-open countries are in Southern Africa (Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique and Zimbabwe). Ony one country in the top 20 most visa-open countries 11 African is in countries offer ibera North Africa (Mauritania). access (visa-free or visa on arriva) to a Africans Of the top 20 most visa-open (10 in 2017, countries, 13 in 2016 none are in Centra Africa. 16 African countries () offer evisas (up from 13 in 2017, and 9 in 2016) Libera access Reciprocity of visa poicies by RECs, 2018 (%) ECOWAS 100% Libera access () to 11 African countries EAC 90% Open reciprocity (measuring no visa poicies) Africa-wide was 19% (up from 17% in 2017). Cosed reciprocity Africa-wide was 33% (down from 36% in 2017). Top performing RECs on open 4 reciprocity African countries incude: offer visa on ECOWAS (100%), EAC (90%), arriva UMA to (60%) a Africans and SADC (56%). (4 in 2017, 3 in 2016) UMA 60% SADC 56% CEN-SAD 16 African 33% countries offer COMESA evisas (13 in 2017, 9 in % Continent 19% Visa on arriva () in 4 African countries ECCAS 25% IGAD 11% evisas () to 16 African countries 13

16 Top 10/20 countries The top 10 and the top 20 most visaopen countries continued to improve their average score in 2018, refecting a number of countries more ibera visa poicies. The average score for a African countries is just over haf of the average score of the top 10 most visa-open countries, showing that the top performers remain significanty ahead. Africa s upper-midde economies as a group have ow visa openness scores, whie most of the top 20 countries in the Index are ow-income or ower-midde income economies. n Seychees and Benin are the top performing countries, offering visa-free access to a Africans. n Two new countries from West Africa (Benin) and Southern Africa (Zimbabwe) entered the top 20 most visa-open countries. n Average score for the top 10 countries is (up from in 2017, and in 2016). n Average score for the top 20 countries is (up from in 2017, and in 2016). n Average score for a countries is (up from in 2017, and in 2016). HIC UMIC LMIC TOP 20 MOST LIC VISA-OPEN COUNTRIES LIC n 18 of the top 20 countries are owincome or ower-midde income economies. 7 out of 8 of Africa s upper-midde income economies have ow visa openness scores. TOP 20 MOST VISA-OPEN COUNTRIES n A the top 20 most visa-open countries (where data is avaiabe) have an upward trajectory on trave and tourism figures on GDP, visitor exports and investments. 15 TOP 20 MOST VISA-OPEN COUNTRIES n 18 of the top 20 most visa-open countries improved their overa performance in the Word Bank Group s Doing Business 2018 distance to frontier measure, showing how economies are becoming more open. 16 Average visa openness scores, TOP 10 COUNTRIES TOP 20 COUNTRIES ALL COUNTRIES TOP 20 MOST VISA-OPEN COUNTRIES n Haf of the top 20 most visa-open countries have an upward trend of rea GDP growth

17 Visa openness progress, There is an upward trend for African countries to be more open to each other when it comes to their visa poicies. Over three-quarters of countries Africawide scored the same or higher than before on the Index in And a quarter of countries moved up in rank from n 43 countries improved or maintained their score (47 countries in 2017). n 15 countries moved upwards in rank on the Index (12 in 2017). Progress on visa openness between was made across each region. The gap in the average scores of the top 10 and top 20 countries aso narrowed between 2016 and The top 20 improvers, based on progress made on visa openness scores between , cover Southern Africa, West Africa, Centra Africa, East Africa and North Africa. The top improvers a have poicies aowing Africans greater visafree or visa-on-arriva access. Eight of the top 20 improvers feature in the top 20 countries in the Index in Four of the top 20 improvers moved into the top 20 countries between , showing how a decision to iberaise visa poicies has had an immediate effect on scores and rank. Top 20 countries with improved visa openness scores, * Incuded in the Top 20 Visa Openness countries, Benin* Rwanda* Ghana* Kenya* Senega* Tanzania* Gambia* Zimbabwe* Maawi Tunisia Lesotho South Africa CAR Chad Namibia Gabon São Tomé and Príncipe Cameroon Angoa Egypt

18 Case studies: countries moving up in 2018 Benin TOP of the Index Index ranking: no.1 Libera access: 100% Benin was the highest performing country since the ast edition of the Africa Visa Openness Index. The country increased its score by 200%, moving from 27 th pace in 2017 to join Seychees at the top in Benin is ony the second country on the continent to offer visa-free access to a African countries and the first Francophone country to do so. Inspired by Rwanda s experience, I have come to the decision that Benin wi no onger demand visas for Africans. This South-South cooperation can become a reaity. Patrice Taon President of Benin 18 President Taon s andmark decision to open Benin s borders for African visitors from January 2017 has been heraded by ECOWAS as promoting a peope-centred approach to integration in the region. Benin s open visa poicy made headines in African and goba news. It s a decision that gives weight to the objective of going from an ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of the peope by Moustapha Cisse Lo ECOWAS Pariament President 19 n Benin joins Seychees at the top of the Index, offering visa-free access to a Africans. n 2018 Index ranking: no.1 (up from no.27 in 2017, and no.31 in 2016). n 2018 Libera access (visa-free or visa on arriva to Africans): 100% (up from 33% in 2017, and 30% in 2016). The move ties into the government s tourism action programme aunched in December 2016, which incudes a priority deveopment of seven tourism sites across the country. Tota trave and tourism contributed 5.7% to Benin s GDP in 2017 and is forecast to rise by 3.8% in 2018, according to the Word Trave & Tourism Counci Economic Impact 2018 report. 20 Remova of visa for a Africans entering Benin for ess than 90 days. The Consuate Genera reminds a African nationas that they are exempt from a visa to enter Benin, for visits not exceeding 90 days. Consuate Genera of Benin 21 In 2018, Benin put in pace new measures to improve overa entry access to the country. From March, non- Africans wishing to visit for ess than a week, with a vaid passport and yeow fever certificate, can appy for a specia tourist visa on arriva for a set fee. From Apri, goba visitors can obtain an evisa for Benin from gouv.bj, as part of the country s Smart Gouv programme to simpify entry and short stay visa processes. Thanks to its decision to open up the country for African as we as goba visitors, Benin scores highy in the goba Wecoming Countries Rank 2018 of the Passport Index. 22 In 2018, Benin ranked at number six, with a wecoming score of 191, up from 54 in 2017 inked to the number of countries whose citizens can access Benin visa-free or with visa on arriva. Across Africa, Benin nationas can trave to 20 countries visa-free and to 12 countries with a visa on arriva, representing 60% ibera access on the continent. 16

19 TOP 10 countries Index ranking: no. 3 Libera access: 100% Rwanda n Rwanda moved up in the top 10 countries in the Index. n 2018 Index ranking: no.3 (up from no.9 in 2017, and no.9 in 2016). n 2018 Libera access (visa-free or visa on arriva to Africans): 100% (up from 98% in 2017, and 100% in 2016). Rwanda continues to move up the Africa Visa Openness Index and ranks in third position in 2018, having improved access for nine countries on the continent. Africans enjoy ibera access to Rwanda, with no visa required for 15 countries and visa on arriva for 38 countries. A top 10 performer on the Index since 2016, the country s open visa poicy has inspired countries Africa-wide, incuding Benin, and soon Ethiopia, to iberaise their visa regimes. Citizens of a countries wi get a visa upon arriva without prior appication, starting January 1, Yves Butera Spokesperson, Directorate-Genera of Immigration and Emigration, Rwanda 23 Against this backdrop, between , the number of Africans receiving visas on arriva in Rwanda increased by more than 100%. 24 The country attracted higher numbers of visitors, greater investment, and hosted more conferences due to the remova of trave restrictions. Tota trave and tourism contributed 12.7% to Rwanda s GDP in 2017 and is forecast to rise by 6.8% in 2018, according to the Word Trave & Tourism Counci Economic Impact 2018 report. 25 Rwanda has aso simpified trave document soutions by promoting passport-free trave with its neighbours. A unified nationa identity card and border pass is in pace for citizens of Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda, whist a singe tourist visa for the three countries is avaiabe. The new visa regime opens Rwanda to the word and is good for business. Rwanda beieves that the free movement of peope fosters trade and tourism and is good for the continent s integration poicy. We are aware of the chaenges of open borders, but as a country, we aso beieve that the benefits of our poicy outweigh the potentia setbacks. Louise Mushikiwabo Foreign Minister, Rwanda 26 As of January 2018, Rwanda put in pace a andmark new visa regime that aows a traveers wordwide to visit the country and obtain a 30-day visa on arriva. The poicy marks an important step in terms of Rwanda opening up to other Africans as we as to a goba visitors. Rwanda ranks at number one in the goba Wecoming Countries Rank 2018 of the Passport Index, 27 with a score of 198 inked to the number of countries whose citizens can easiy visit Rwanda. TOP 10 countries Index ranking: no. 9 Libera access: 96% Kenya n Kenya moved into the top 10 countries in the Index. n 2018 Index ranking: no.9 (up from no.15 in 2017, and no.16 in 2016). n 2018 Libera access (visa-free or visa on arriva to Africans): 96% (up from 89% in 2017, and 89% in 2016). Kenya moved up six paces into the top 10 countries in the Africa Visa Openness Index in The country s improved score foows its new visa-on-arriva poicy for a Africans, which was highighted in President Kenyatta s inauguration speech in November For my feow Africans, the free movement of peope on our continent has aways been a cornerstone of Pan-African brotherhood and fraternity. Today, I am directing that any African wishing to visit Kenya wi be eigibe to receive a visa at the port of entry. To underscore Kenya s commitment, this sha not be done on the basis of reciprocity. The freer we are to trave and ive with one another, the more integrated and appreciative of our diversity, we wi become. Uhuru Kenyatta President of Kenya 28 The iberaised visa regime was set up to promote more open borders across the continent and to boost trade, security and Africa-wide integration. It has been widey pubicised, with the African Union Commission voicing the need for countries to foow Kenya s exampe. Deighted by s announcement to issue visas at arriva for a Africans visiting Kenya. Congratuations on this historic decision! I urge a African states that have not yet done so, to take simiar measures towards free movement for a Africans across Africa. Moussa Faki Mahamat African Union Commission Chairperson 29 17

20 The move supports Kenya s efforts to drive growth in trave by providing a straightforward process for shortterm visas, offering evisas for traveers at go.ke/evisa.htm. Tota trave and tourism contributed 9.7% to Kenya s GDP in 2017 and is forecast to rise by 5.5% in 2018, according to the Word Trave & Tourism Counci Economic Impact 2018 report. 30 Kenya s open visa poicy wi, in turn, support Kenya s strong air transport sector. The sector faciitates over USD 10 biion in exports, around USD 4.4 biion in foreign direct investment, and around USD 800,000 in inbound eisure and business tourism for Kenya. 31 At the same time, Kenya is driving integration within the East African Community, with the announcement that citizens from Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda can move freey with their identity cards, work, do business and own property on an equa basis. Kenyan nationas can trave to 18 African countries visa-free and to 15 African countries with a visa on arriva, which represents one of the highest mobiity rates on the continent. TOP 20 countries Index ranking: no. 13 Libera access: 81% Senega n Senega moved up the top 20 countries in the Index. n 2018 Index ranking: no.13 (up from no.15 in 2017, and no.24 in 2016). n 2018 Libera access (visa-free or visa on arriva to Africans): 81% (up from 78% in 2017, and 37% in 2016). TOP 20 countries Index ranking: no. 20 Libera access: 51% Zimbabwe n Zimbabwe moved into the top 20 countries in the Index. n 2018 Index ranking: no.20 (up from no.21 in 2017, and no.27 in 2016). n 2018 Libera access (visa-free or visa on arriva to Africans): 51% (up from 46% in 2017, and 33% in 2016). Zimbabwe continued to move up the Africa Visa Openness Index and entered the top 20 countries in The country has made steady progress since 2016, improving its ibera access. The government is introducing a visa-on-arriva poicy for 28 countries wordwide, as we as for SADC members, to buid the tourism sector and promote greater investment. Tota trave and tourism contributed 7.1% to Zimbabwe s GDP in 2017 and is forecast to rise by 2.1% in 2018, according to the Word Trave & Tourism Counci Economic Impact 2018 report. 33 The pans are being matched by an e-government programme to improve the visa process, with evisas issued at aongside increased promotion of the nationa airine. Senega rose steadiy upwards in the top 20 countries in the Africa Visa Openness Index in The country buit on progress made since 2016, with improved visa-free access for more countries. It is one of few countries in the top 20 that does not offer visas on arriva. In a bid to boost the tourism sector and attract more visitors, Senega decided to end paid visas from May 2015 for a number of nationaities, incuding those from ECOWAS member states. Tota trave and tourism contributed 10.4% to Senega s GDP in 2017 and is forecast to rise by 4.0% in 2018, according to the Word Trave & Tourism Counci Economic Impact 2018 report

21 Regiona mobiity across Africa Africa is the word s second fastest growing region. 34 Yet, across regiona bocs there are big chaenges in driving sustainabe growth, boosting empoyment and tacking inequaities. Deepening regiona integration to incude free movement of peope, capita and services is a priority to hep meet Agenda 2063 and reach the UN s Sustainabe Deveopment Goas. Visa-free regiona bocs underpin regiona integration. At the same time, greater regiona mobiity opens up opportunities for SMEs and young peope by expanding their horizons Africa-wide. In 2018, the continent s open reciprocity (measuring no visa poicies) stood at 19% (up from 17% in 2017), and cosed reciprocity at 33% (down from 36% in 2017). Progress is being made at regiona eve to aow free movement of peope, but there is sti a way to trave. Visa-free access for other member states continues to vary across Africa s Regiona Economic Communities (RECs). As was the case in 2017, the top performing RECs on reciproca open visa poicies are ECOWAS (100%), EAC (90%), UMA (60%) and SADC (56%). Three RECs improved their open reciprocity scores in 2018, incuding SADC, CEN-SAD and ECCAS. In the case of ECCAS, the score more than doubed, with 25% open reciprocity across the region. This ties into the decision of CEMAC (which incudes six of the eeven ECCAS member states) to ratify free movement of peope and visa-free trave as of October COMESA wecomed Tunisia and Somaia as new members in Juy 2018, 36 paving the way for greater visa openness across the regiona boc, which currenty has 19% open reciprocity. Reciprocity of visa poicies, % by RECs, (2017) ECCAS 25% (11%) COMESA 19% (21%) CONTINENT ECOWAS 100% (100%) EAC 90% (100%) IGAD 11% (11%) SADC 56% (52%) CEN-SAD 33% (31%) UMA 60% (60%) 19

22 Countries and regions ooking to open up on visas Media headines on visa openness When it comes to promoting freedom of movement across Africa in ine with Agenda 2063, raising awareness of how visa openness has an impact at country and continent-eve is vita. Media houses across the continent picked up the findings of the 2017 Africa Visa Openness Index, generating a broader conversation on Africa-wide progress. This highighted the top performers, and pointed to the barriers that prevent a truy open Africa for a Africans. Foowing the aunch of the Index report in May 2017, over 120 artices referencing the Index appeared in African press from 21 countries across a regions. Africa-wide and internationa media covered the Index with headines ranging from How open is Africa for African traveers? 37 to The practica guide to traveing around Africa if you are African. 38 The Index aso featured in radio and teevision shows in Africa and wordwide. The discussion continued apace in socia media circes, with comments on Twitter ooking at the facts and figures of Africa s visa openness and which countries are starting to open up. There was a strong focus on the top performers in 2017, incuding Seychees, which offers visa-free access to a Africans. The high eves of interest refect how visa openness affects everyone on the continent incuding business traveers, students, tourists and investors. Ethiopia n 2018 Index ranking: no.50 (no.49 in 2017, and no.46 in 2016). Ethiopia automated its visa appication system and announced a decision to iberaize visas for African traveers. The announcement was made by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in May and has been widey wecomed in African poicy and media circes. #A reaxed visa regime wi enhance both #Ethiopia s openness and wi aow the country to harness the significant stopover transit traffic Fitsum Arega Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Ethiopia 40 The Main Department for Nationaity and Immigration Affairs is aso modernising the visa process, with goba traveers abe to appy for evisas at Namibia n 2018 Index ranking: no.38 (no.36 in 2017, and no.38 in 2016). Namibia moved ahead to iberaise its visa poicy framework in October 2017, with a decision for a Africans to be issued visas on arriva, as part of a wider goa to remove visa requirements atogether. 41 This foows earier pans to aow SADC citizens to access the country visa-free. Since 2016, African dipomat and officia passport hoders can enter the country without a visa, foowing President Hage Geingob s announcement citing the vaue of African unity. CEMAC The Centra African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC) has ratified free movement of peope as of October 2017, aowing citizens from the six member states Cameroon, Centra African Repubic, Chad, Equatoria Guinea, Gabon and the Repubic of Congo to trave visa-free. 42 The move is re-energising integration in the region, with a focus on biometric technoogy, coordinating security services and respect for different abour reguations. 43 Two thirds of CEMAC members are in the top 20 improvers on visa openness between The decision wi support CEMAC members with ow visa openness scores to move up the Index. 20

23 Visa openness in Africa: top performers and reformers, L L Mauritania Senega Gambia Cabo Verde 8 Guinea-Bissau Ghana Togo Benin Top 20 countries on visa openness, Tunisia Top 20 countries in 2018 with most improved visa openness scores, Top 20 countries with improved visa openness scores, Countries ooking to open up on visas, São Tomé and Príncipe Equatoria Guinea Gabon Cameroon Congo Chad Angoa Namibia Lesotho South Africa L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L Maawi 14 Zimbabwe 14 Egypt Centra African Repubic Ethiopia Rwanda Djibouti Uganda Somaia Tanzania 1 Seychees Kenya Comoros Mozambique Madagascar 12 Mauritius Country Visa openness rank, 2018 L L Angoa 42 Benin* 1 Cabo Verde 8 Cameroon 42 Centra African Repubic 35 Chad 37 Comoros 14 Congo, Repubic 39 Djibouti 14 Egypt 48 Ethiopia 50 Equatoria Guinea 54 Gabon 41 Gambia 19 Ghana 7 Guinea-Bissau 5 Kenya* 9 Lesotho 32 *See case studies p Country Visa openness rank, 2018 L L Madagascar 14 Maawi 22 Mauritania 11 Mauritius 12 Mozambique 10 Namibia 38 Rwanda* 3 São Tomé and Príncipe 42 Senega* 13 Seychees 1 Somaia 14 South Africa 34 Tanzania 18 Togo 3 Tunisia 24 Uganda 5 Zimbabwe* 20 21

24 Goba context for visa openness Border poicies and migration continued to dominate goba headines across North America and Europe in 2017 and into Poitica debates on immigration centred on measures to cose down borders, with the backdrop of the ongoing refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. The numbers show that in recent years, nine of the top 10 countries for arrivas by sea to Europe were African. 44 A range of internationa initiatives moved ahead to tacke the fow of migration, incuding the Joint Vaetta Action Pan and the EU s Externa Investment Pan. In Africa, the factors underpinning mobiity on the continent took centre-stage in 2018 with the meeting of the High-Leve Pane on Migration 45 and an IOM/AUC study being pubished on the benefits and chaenges of free movement of peope. 46 At the same time, the AU decared 2019 as the African Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internay Dispaced Persons. The African poicy soutions underway, incuding on visa openness, show how greater mobiity brings fresh opportunities for peope within Africa. This, in turn, is chaenging the prevaiing narrative that prospects can ony improve by moving away from the continent. Gobay, peope are increasingy on the move for trave and tourism as consumer spending rises. The sector, which supports one in ten jobs wordwide, saw growth of 4.6% in Against this backdrop, in June 2018 African countries voiced the need to drive sustainabe tourism deveopment, measuring impact with data. 48 Innovation, entrepreneurship and technoogy are heping to buid a sustainabe, resiient tourism industry across Africa 49 eements, which are supported by promoting more ibera visa regimes on the continent. Visa openness soutions in Visa on arriva for Africans Visa-free regiona bocs Regiona boc visas Muti-year visas after assessing appicant Promoting positive reciprocity (for citizens of countries that reaxed visa requirements to benefit from simiar requirements when visiting other African countries) Opening up on visas uniateray Simpifying the visa process: documents required, fees, processing time, onine appications (introducing evisas can hep to faciitate visitor access) Improving access to information: onine and in different anguages Trave Document Soutions Regiona trave using regiona passports or nationa identity cards African passport for business peope (issued by competent authority to strict criteria) African passport for a African citizens (issued by nationa authorities to foow the African Union passport roed out in 2016) 22

25 Forward ook So, what s next for visa openness in Africa? The upward trend of African countries starting to iberaise their visa poicies for other Africans seems set to continue, as momentum gathers across regiona bocs and the continent as a whoe, in ine with the Free Movement Protoco was a andmark chapter in Africa s integration story. With the African Continenta Free Trade Area and the Singe African Air Transport Market, coser cooperation and shared investment in Africa s economic growth and sustainabe deveopment was again reinforced. Together with progress on the continent s infrastructure needs and business reforms, visa openness represents a vauabe win-win poicy too that wi hep to boster integration. Economic integration thus responds not ony to aspirations born out of Pan-Africanism, but aso to a practica imperative inked to the economic viabiity of the continent Our peopes, our business community and our youth, in particuar, cannot wait any onger to see the ifting of the barriers that divide our continent. Moussa Faki Mahamat African Union Commission Chairperson 50 Popuar options for countries opening up their visa regimes since 2016 incuded offering more visas on arriva, being part of visa-free regiona bocs, and promoting positive reciprocity. A combination of visa openness and trave document soutions are working for the Index top performers to attract more arrivas, increase investment eves, and boost tourism. More countries can start to take steps to enjoy the benefits of open visa poicies. The questions wi be: how are peope moving once they enjoy greater access across Africa? Do more open-visa poicies transate into practica easier access options for African traveers when it comes to the time, cost and procedures that are invoved? What is the time ag between a country announcing a decision to open up its borders and it coming into force? Is information on visas readiy avaiabe, onine, in different anguages, and reguary updated? Foow, and be part of, the debate on the Africa Visa Openness Index Africa Visa Openness Index fourth edition African citizens need to be aware of the different opportunities open visa poicies offer them, which countries are the most open on the continent and what access they aow. The onine patform, which went ive in May 2017, aims to promote greater research, advocacy and poicy diaogue on visa openness soutions across Africa. Updated on a yeary basis, over 16,250 unique visitors 51 have aready visited the patform. The fourth edition of the Index wi track how peope are abe to trave once they have ibera visa access, based on cost, time and processes invoved, to fesh out the story behind the African traveer s experience. Sharing information on visa reaities across Africa can inspire further reforms. Case stories wi capture how countries are using smart systems and digita technoogy to reform their visa regimes. And they wi set out the visa openness trajectory, that starts with a country s decision to open up on visas, and ends at the border. 23