A central objective of Agenda 2063 is to ensure integrated pan-Africanism (Ndizera and Muzee, 2018). The best option to accelerate this process is facilitating domestic flights (CRS, 2021). Such a solution is expected to lead to a synergistic type of development (AU, 2021). The emerging African Union can borrow the experience of its European neighbours and achieve the same success (Turco, 2019). Visa-free travel does not mean the abolition of visas but responds to a relaxed regime. Such solutions have already been ratified between several African countries in 2017 (Ugwu, 2019).
However, there are well-founded doubts about the effectiveness of this idea. It is pointed out that African countries belong to the third world and therefore have heightened national security problems, crime and corruption (Dode and Egugbo, 2019). Facilitating visa-free travel between the most developed regions and the least developed could lead to disorganisation and reduced economic efficiency of integration (WPR 2021; Aniche, 2021). According to Dimmer (2018), this could become a ‘logistical nightmare’ due to many African citizens’ lack of genuine identity documents. New policies could solve existing problems: the single African passport initiative and stricter controls on trans-African flights are paramount (Okunade and Ogunnubi, 2019).
The critical impact of visa-free facilitation on Africa’s economic growth cannot be ruled out. Removing borders for movement creates favourable conditions for labour migration (Gumede, Oloruntoba, and Kamga, 2020). There is also a growing propensity for domestic tourism, a crucial part of an integrated economic system (Saayman, A., Saayman, M., and Viljoen, 2020). For example, 63% of African countries have already signed a joint airspace agreement (AU, 2021). Greater control leads to a levelling of corruption and economic crime practices (Ivlevs and King, 2017).
Thus, the importance of visa-free facilitation for African countries lies in the desire to create a strong integrated union. Improving the economic agenda, developing national security, enhancing access to tourism, creating a single African passport and thus supporting the cultural sovereignty of the continent will be the main consequences of visa facilitation.
The ECOWAS alliance comprises fifteen regions, each with a unique passport. The first parameter for the ‘strength’ of this passport is the possibility of visa-free visits to other regions. According to the official GPPR index, The Gambia is the first country on this list (GPPR, 2021). The Gambian passport allows unimpeded entry to 63 countries, 26 visas on arrival. At the same level is Cape Verde, which also allows access to 63 countries (GPPR, 2021). However, the list of countries that do not require a visa is noticeably smaller: only 29 countries. The Gambia is ahead of Cape Verde in this parameter.
The UN uses the GPPR parameter, which highlights the position of a citizen within a particular country. Together with the GPPR index, the HDI forms the Individual Passport Index (IPPR, 2022). Cape Verde (0.665) and Ghana (0.611) have the highest HDI score, followed by Nigeria (0.539) and Benin (0.545) (UNDP, 2022). Consequently, Ghana leads in living standards, civic opportunities and political freedoms.
A meta-comparison of the five countries shows that Cape Verde and Benin passports are best suited for travel in Africa, as they offer more visa-free travel opportunities. The Ghanaian passport is the best for visiting Asia, as it allows for more visa-free travel. For the Americas, the Gambian passport is best suited (Compare Passports, 2022).
The overall conclusion is that Cabo Verde passport is the strongest because it is the most compromising. Not only does it allow for a maximum number of countries to be visited without many obstacles, but it also has the best HDI scores (UNDP, 2022).
Reference List
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CRS (2021) Adding countries to the visa waiver program: effects on national security and tourism. Web.
Dimmer, K. (2018) A visa-free Africa still facing hurdles. Web.
Dode, R. O., and Egugbo, C. C. (2019) ‘Modernization theory and African development in the 21st century,’ KIU Journal of Social Sciences, 5(1), pp. 85-94.
GPPR (2021) Web.
Gumede, V., Oloruntoba, S. O., and Kamga, S. D. (2020) ‘Migration policies in Africa, Regional Integration and Migration in Africa, pp. 77-96.
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Ivlevs, A., and King, R. M. (2017) ‘Does emigration reduce corruption,’ Public Choice, 171(3-4), pp. 389-408.
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Okunade, S. K., and Ogunnubi, O. (2019) ‘The African Union Protocol on free movement: a panacea to end border porosity,’ Journal of African Union Studies, 8(1), pp. 73-91.
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Turco, E. (2019) ‘Visa-free regime: the theory and contemporary international practice,’ Visa Free Regime, pp. 7-25.
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UNDP (2022) Latest Human Development Index ranking. Web.
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