Kenya breaks down travel barriers for the majority of African nations.
Kenya has announced that citizens of nearly all African countries can now visit without prior authorisation, according to a new directive from the cabinet.
Previously, Kenya implemented a “visa-free” policy requiring most visitors to apply online for authorisation before departure. However, the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which replaced traditional visa requirements, faced criticism as being a “visa under another name.”
On Tuesday, the cabinet announced that the ETA would be eliminated for “all African countries except Somalia and Libya – due to security concerns.” The directive aims to “support open skies policies and tourism growth” while promoting “regional integration and ease of travel across the continent.”
Despite the introduction of the ETA, Kenya dropped 17 places to 46th out of 54 nations in the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index, highlighting the need for more effective travel policies.
In recent years, several African nations have taken steps to ease travel restrictions for visitors from the continent. Earlier this year, Ghana announced that all African passport holders could visit visa-free, while Rwanda already permits African visitors to enter without a visa.
The push for easier intra-African travel is also being championed by the African Union (AU) as part of broader efforts to enhance regional connectivity and cooperation.
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