Thursday, 22 January

Campaigners call for visa-free Africa by 2030 after 160-day continental journey

News
Ras Mubarak

After travelling through 31 African countries in just under 160 days, a pan-African advocacy group led by Ras Mubarak has renewed calls for greater continental unity, urging African governments to dismantle barriers that restrict the free movement of people and goods.

The group will be addressing journalists at Independence Square on Thursday at exactly 10:00 am, where they will highlight their extensive journey across the continent, reinforcing the urgency of deeper African integration.

According to the campaigners, true unity must go beyond rhetoric and be anchored in practical policies that enable seamless travel, trade and cooperation among African states.

At the heart of their message is a bold call for a visa-free Africa for Africans by 2030.

They argued that restrictive visa regimes continue to undermine economic growth, cultural exchange and the spirit of Pan-Africanism envisioned by the continent’s founding leaders.

The group noted that removing travel barriers would boost intra-African trade, tourism and job creation, while strengthening people-to-people connections across borders.

They also appealed to the African Union and national governments to accelerate the implementation of existing frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the AU Free Movement Protocol.

 

The press engagement at Independence Square forms part of the final leg of their continental campaign, aimed at mobilising public support and influencing policy discussions on Africa’s future integration agenda

Source: Classfmonline.com/Cecil Mensah