The Trans-Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign organisation has called for visa-free operations across the continent to foster regional integration, economic growth, and cultural exchange.

Ras Mubarak, leader of the organisation, made the call at a news conference on Monday in Abuja, which was organised on the sidelines of the organisation’s 40,000-kilometre journey across 39 African countries.

According to him, the aim is to dismantle visa barriers that hinder people from moving freely from one part of the continent to another.

Mr Mubarak said, “Today in Africa, it is easier for a West African national to get a Schengen visa than it is for a West African national to get visas to some Southern African countries. It is easier for a Southern African national to travel to Istanbul, in Turkey, than to get a visa to The Gambia; that is the tragedy of our situation.

“So, we are looking forward to dismantling the visa barriers that fragment our continent, stifle tourism, and hinder the free movement of 1.4 billion Africans. Now, these barriers are remnants of colonial divisions that contradict the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision of a united, prosperous Africa. Now, that is 40 years from now. We must not wait for 40 years to have a borderless Africa. We believe and indeed we have seen it happen that this can be done in five years.”

He pointed out the need for African leaders to embrace a borderless future together as a means to make the dream of an open Africa a reality. According to him, visa restrictions inhibit people from exploring the cultures of different countries and accessing opportunities.

Inusah Ziblim, Minister-Consular Affairs at the Ghana High Commission, Abuja, underscored the need for collaboration by African states to achieve set goals.

“All we needed to do is to align and for us to work together, to synchronise. We have not received any response and it has been months. We have written to ECOWAS, SADC, AU, EAC, the East African Community and just about all the relevant authorities.

“This is not a movement that is looking up to politicians to get things done; if we have got the masses on our side, we would eventually have this thing happen,” Mr Ziblim said.  

(NAN)