Rwanda Instigates Visa-Free Travel for All Africans, Enhancing Continental Mobility and Trade

Rwanda to become the fourth African country to remove travel restrictions following the Gambia, Benin, and Seychelles, aiming to stimulate African tourism and facilitate intracontinental trade.

• Rwandan President Paul Kagame announced visa-free travel for all Africans, a move aimed at boosting the free movement of people and trade across Africa.
• Rwanda becomes the fourth African country after the Gambia, Benin, and Seychelles to remove visa restrictions for all Africans, further opening the continent up to free movement.
• President Kagame highlighted the potential of Africa as a 'unified tourism destination', particularly as 60% of tourists still come from outside of Africa.
• The move comes as part of a larger trend towards the relaxed travel restrictions across the continent, with Kenya’s President William Ruto also announcing plans for visa-free travel by the end of the year.
• The African Union has also launched the African Continental Free Trade Area, a free trade area estimated to be worth $3.4 trillion, and the African Passport - initiatives aimed at creating a unified market and removing restrictions on the ability of Africans to travel, work, and live within the continent.

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