The African Visa Openness Index (AVOI) 2024 highlights the disparities in visa insurance policies amongst African international locations and their influence on regional integration. Benin, Rwanda, Seychelles, and The Gambia rank highest on the index, providing visa-free entry to all Africans. Ghana ranks fifth, whereas Cape Verde and Nigeria share the sixth place. The three international locations have combined insurance policies, providing visa-free entry to some African international locations and visa-on-arrival to others. Rounding up the highest 10 are Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Mauritius, additionally with combined insurance policies. The report underscores how restrictive visa insurance policies hinder free motion, contradicting the aspirations of the African Continental Free Commerce Space (AfCFTA) and AU Agenda 2063. It additionally highlights that lower-income nations are typically extra open to liberal visa insurance policies, whereas higher-income international locations keep stricter regimes, probably resulting from issues over financial migration. The findings emphasize the necessity for larger cooperation to realize a seamless and built-in Africa.
SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER