Ease visa restrictions to boost intra-Africa trade – AfCFTA

Cynthia E. Gnassingbé-Essonam, Senior Advisor to the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, has emphasised the critical need for African governments to address visa restrictions hindering the free movement of people across the continent. Speaking at a webinar organised by LIMA Partners under the theme “Unlocking Opportunities Across Africa: Harnessing AfCFTA for Business Growth,” Gnassingbé-Essonam acknowledged that while visa policies fall outside the AfCFTA Secretariat’s direct mandate, lobbying for seamless mobility is essential to realising the trade pact’s full potential.

According to her, the agreement is not just a policy document but a practical platform equipped with trade facilitation instruments designed to help businesses expand beyond borders. These include the Guided Trade Initiative, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), and the African Trade Observatory — all aimed at reducing trade costs, improving market access, and boosting intra-African commerce. She highlighted that while the AfCFTA is in operation, more awareness is needed among entrepreneurs and small businesses about how to utilize these tools to scale and compete across the continent. “The concern about VISA restrictions among AfCFTA countries is out of our mandates as a secretariat but all we have to do is to lobby the heads of state and the AU that ‘if we want to increase intra-Africa trade, then the governments will need to look at the issue of the movement of people seamlessly.

“The protocol on the movement of people has only been ratified by four countries. So, now that we are pushing, and we see a strong political will for intra-Africa trade and the AfCFTA. We believe that our heads of state need to seriously think about the movement of people. “At a very political level, our leaders will need to specifically look at the issues of visas. Some countries are taking the lead and showing the way, but we hope that it will be clear at the level of the African Union,” she stated.