Africa: Ethiopia Begins Issuing Online Visas for Tourists Starting June 1
By This Is Africa
Ethiopia
has started issuing visa online for tourists and other visitors across
the world effective today (June 1). The Chief of Staff to the Prime
Minister, Fitsum Arega said "A relaxed visa regime will enhance both
#Ethiopia's openness and will allow the country to harness the
significant stopover transit traffic of @flyethiopian".
Ethiopia has
started issuing visas online for tourists and other visitors across the
world effective today (June 1). The Chief of Staff to the Prime
Minister, Fitsum Arega revealed the development on Twitter and said "A
relaxed visa regime will enhance both #Ethiopia's openness and will
allow the country to harness the significant stopover transit traffic of
@flyethiopian".
The online visa is
seen as one of the most innovative services implemented in the area of
freedom of movement but not many African countries have embraced
electronic visa service. Online visa application service is regarded as
an essential component of a modern, integrated visa management system,
which enhances both security and convenience.
The Ethiopian
Tourist eVISA was launched by the Main Department for Immigration and
Nationality Affairs in Ethiopia in June 2017 but the service has only
been open to a few countries (37 countries). The eVISA for Ethiopia now
authorises tourists from across the world to apply for a tourist eVISA
online. Once issued, the Ethiopian eVISA is valid for 30 or 90 days
depending on the applicant's selection, according to ethiopiaonlinevisa
website.
Ethiopian Prime
Minister Abiy Ahmed last month revealed that the country will "very
soon" follow Rwanda's example allowing all Africans to travel to the
country without visas. Ethiopia's move to relax its visa regime will
open up the east African country to African visitors, and it will
undoubtedly ease the free movement of African nationals and boost
tourism.
Prime Minister
Ahmed's plan was revealed during a state banquet which he hosted for
Rwandan President Paul Kagame who was in Ethiopia last month on a
three-day official visit. The two leaders held bilateral talks in Addis
Ababa, and made a commitment to strengthen relationships in key sectors.
While Prime
Minister Abiy did not give specific details of the plan to allow all
Africans to travel to Ethiopia without visas, the proposal was warmly
welcomed, seen by many observers as a laudable step to open Africa's
borders. The policy will undoubtedly open up the east African country to
African visitors, and it will ease the free movement of African
nationals and boost trade and tourism.
Towards a a more open Africa
The announcements
by Prime Minister Abiy and his Chief of Staff Fitsum Arega are indeed
laudable and demonstrates that African countries are beginning to act on
the implementation of the African Union's (AU) 2063 Agenda for "a
continent with seamless borders" to help facilitate the free movement of
African citizens.
A number of African
countries have in the past year started implementing the 30-day
visa-on-arrival policy recommended by the AU, and these include Kenya,
Ghana and Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe offers visas on arrival for SADC members
and several international countries).
However, other
countries have been slow in implementing the 30-day visa-on-arrival
policy recommended by the AU. The visa policies of most African states
remain restrictive, and the countries are inaccessible to African
visitors.
The AU has appealed
to countries to review their visa policies to "implement mechanisms
allowing for the issuing of visas on arrival for citizens of Member
States, with the possibility of a 30-day stay".
The Africa Visa
Openness Index, a guide by the African Development Bank (AfDB) reveals
how Africa countries remain largely closed off to African citizens.
According to AfDB,
"on average Africans need visas to travel to 55% of other African
countries, can get visas on arrival in only 25% of other countries and
don't need a visa to travel to just 20% of other countries on the
continent".
AfDB recommends
that African countries should promote more visa-free regional blocs,
push for greater reciprocity, and introduce more visa on arrival
policies for Africans.
The AU has urged
member states to champion the visa on arrival initiative, identified as
"critical to facilitating and encourage intra-African trade and
investments, as well as tourism. With a growing middle class, we must
encourage intra - Africa tourism".
Leave a Comment