Kenya plans to scrap visas for African tourists by end of 2023 – says President William Ruto.

William Ruto, the President of Kenya, has announced that the country will eliminate the need for visas for African tourists by the end of 2023

He made this announcement while speaking at an international summit in Congo Brazzaville, which focused on the preservation of large rainforests around the world.

President Ruto stated that visa restrictions are a hindrance to Africans. He explained that the African Union (AU) was supposed to ensure visa-free travel within the continent for the past ten years.

Despite bilateral and regional agreements, progress towards this goal has been slow. Currently, only three countries—Seychelles, The Gambia, and Benin—allow visa-free access for all African citizens, as stated in a 2022 report supported by the AU.

President Ruto emphasized the negative impact of visa requirements on business and called for a change.

”It is detrimental when people, including businesspeople and entrepreneurs, are unable to travel freely”, he said.

Although the African passport was introduced by the AU in 2016 to facilitate visa-free travel across the continent, its availability remains limited.

The main objective was to enable unrestricted travel for all African individuals within Africa.