The African Union (AU) has come with a new face and design for the African union passport, set to reveal the design of a
passport for all African countries in a bid to facilitate visa-free
movement across the continent.

 We are one-step closer to one Africa.

The chairman of the African Union (AU) Moussa Faki Mahamat has announced that the AU passport is actively in the works.

In
a press release to end the year 2018, he revealed that details
concerning the design, production, and issue of the passport will be
presented at the 32nd African Union Summit in February. He also said
that the Union is passionate about Free Movement and the move for the
borderless Africa is crucial for the development of the continent and
the fulfillment of its people’s aspiration to well-being.

Talks of the passport have been long repeated but this is the first time, it seems it is finally coming to fruition.

However, this is not the first attempt in
making travel in Africa easier for Africans. In January 2018, the Heads
of State and Government launched the Single African Air Transport Market
(SAATM) in Addis Ababa which began the move for the African Continental
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons,
Right of Residence and Right of Establishment. To date, 27 Member States
have joined the SAATM.

Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Louise
Mushikiwabo said a common passport could be a solution in disbanding all
barriers halting intra-African trade.

The passports will first be given to the heads of state and African diplomats but later be distributed to all African citizens.

Once the passports have been launched, each
country will reserve the right to issue them according to their national
regulations, said the minister.

Africans on exploring Africa

In September 2018, people were asked why many Africans are disinterested in exploring Africa.
Most of the responses called to the fact that it is generally more
expensive to go to many African countries than to go outside the
continent. There is also the issue of tedious borders and visa
requirements.

One solution was for more African countries to
pay attention to tourism, especially with other Africans in mind, and
for the implementation of Open Skies for Africans.

From what the African Union is saying, they are putting more Africans in mind with the SAATM and the AU passport.

Travel in Africa is about to get a lot less tedious.