Free Movement of all Persons and African Passport

Aim

Aspiration 2 of Agenda 2063 envisions “An integrated continent, politically united and based on the ideals of Africa’s renaissance”. By 2063, Africa is envisioned to be a continent with seamless borders, and management of cross-border resources through dialogue; and a continent where free movement of people, capital, goods and services will result in significant increases in trade and investments among African countries and strengthening Africa’s place in global trade.

Progress to-date

• The Protocol to the Treaty on the Establishment of the African Economic Community relating to Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment was adopted in January 2018 together with a comprehensive implementation roadmap;

• Popularisation of the Protocol on free movement of persons has been undertaken - involving Member States and RECs with a view to achieving the requisite 15 ratifications for the Protocol to come into force;

• 32 Member States have signed the Protocol; only one Member State, Rwanda, has ratified it; and

• Guidelines on the design, production and issuance of the African Passport were endorsed by the AU-STC on Migration, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Nov. 2018 and subsequently adopted by the AU Assembly of February 2019.

Challenges

• There has been a slow pace of signature and ratification of the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons;

• Restrictive visa regimes in some AU Member States which constrain cross-border movement of persons;

• A strong perception of security threats posed by free movement of persons;

• Weak technical capacities of Member States in producing and issuing the African Passport to African citizens; and

• Slow pace of compliance of Member States to start issuing visas on arrival to all African travellers.

Next Steps

• Enhance advocacy efforts and popularise the Protocol and African Passport; motivate for designating a sitting Head of State or Government as the champion for free movement of persons and the African Passport;

• Support Member States to put in place policies that allow issuance of visas upon arrival and progressively strive towards the abolition of visas in the future;

• The AU Peace and Security Council in collaboration with the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa and other related mechanisms at the level of RECs will continue to facilitate debates on security implications and benefits of free movement of persons;

• Working in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), provide necessary technical backstopping to Member States in producing and issuing the African Passport to African citizens;

• AU Member States to put in place appropriate systems at all ports of entry to facilitate quick access to relevant information.