The Single African Air Journey Market (SAATM) holds the promise of seamless air connectivity throughout Africa.
Nonetheless, the dream of unrestricted journey throughout the continent faces a major problem, visa restrictions. Regardless of 34 African nations ratifying the SAATM settlement, visa restrictions have endured, thereby hindering the complete realisation of the advantages of the settlement.
It is usually essential to grasp the explanations behind these bans or limitations. Throughout Africa, numerous components contribute to the imposition of visa restrictions, starting from diplomatic considerations to safety issues.
Some nations impose visa restrictions to manage the inflow of tourists and stop unlawful immigration, whereas others cite safety threats or considerations about people overstaying their visas.
As well as, incomplete visa purposes, inadequate funds, invalid passports, and incomplete documentation are frequent causes for visa rejections.
In gentle of this, aviation and journey specialists have highlighted the influence of visa restrictions on SAATM.
In keeping with Africa Visa Openness Index 2023, solely 4 African nations – up from three final 12 months, have eradicated all visa necessities for African travellers. They’re Rwanda, Benin, The Gambia, and Seychelles.
In 28 % of all intra-Africa travels, African residents don’t require a visa (an enchancment from 27 % in 2022 and 20 % in 2016). A visa continues to be required in 46 % of journey situations on the continent – down from 47 % in 2022 and 55 % in 2016.
Sidney Foster, aviation analyst & principal managing companion of Avaero Capital Companions, in an interview with BusinessDay, emphasised the significance of freedom of motion inside Africa. She famous that unequal and unfavourable visa regimes restrict the advantages of SAATM, making it simpler for non-Africans to journey throughout the continent than for Africans themselves.
“With out freedom of motion of individuals throughout Africa and with unequal and unfavourable visa regimes between African nations, the complete advantages of SAATM won’t ever be achieved, not like within the European equal during which freedom of motion for Europeans is enshrined, it’s typically simpler for a non-African to acquire a visa or visa-free entry into African nations,” mentioned Foster.
Lending his voice, Tony Ukachukwu, founding father of Aviators Africa, pressured the financial implications of visa restrictions. “I don’t see why Africans ought to require a visa to go to one other African nation. It’s limiting the expansion and GDP of Africa for journey, tourism, and commerce,” Ukachukwu mentioned.
He highlighted the case of Rwanda, which has eliminated visa necessities for all African nations, as a mannequin to emulate.
Chatting with BusinessDay on the explanations for these restrictions, Ukachukwu identified that nations have totally different causes for visa restrictions, like diplomacy and immigration. However one important motive that stood out, particularly in Africa, is to limit individuals with felony tendencies from getting into and to ensure individuals go away when their visa ends.
He famous the necessity for African nations to strengthen their immigration and safety methods whereas decreasing visa limitations to advertise journey, tourism, and commerce.
Ukachukwu added: “Now Seychelles, which has visa-free entry for each African nation, lately had a difficulty with Nigeria and so they mentioned they will limit Nigeria from coming to Seychelles.
“It is because some Nigerians had been caught with medicine in Seychelles, late final 12 months. These are a number of the points the place nations will need to reform their visa standing to say okay we need to limit it. Nonetheless, visa restriction just isn’t the best way to go for financial growth or financial emancipation of the African economic system. To develop African GDP, we should on the very least decrease the limitations of our visa restriction and enhance our safety structure.”
Whereas progress has been made, with a number of African nations enhancing their visa openness index, challenges stay. Allen Onyema, chief govt officer of Air Peace, referred to as for a degree enjoying discipline within the implementation of SAATM.
He highlighted the necessity to tackle exorbitant airport fees and guarantee truthful therapy of African airways to completely realise the advantages of SAATM. “SAATM has been skewed to the detriment of Nigerian airways. That is unacceptable. SAATM will solely work for everybody if we take away restrictions,” Onyema added.
Additionally talking on this material, Humphery Geiseb, Namibian excessive commissioner to Nigeria famous the significance of collective efforts in addressing the challenges of SAATM.
He referred to as on African leaders to assist seamless journey throughout the continent, citing Namibia’s efforts in granting visa waivers and visa on arrival to boost journey to the nation. Geiseb mentioned, “Namibia is in assist of SAATM, however we would like African leaders to deal with the shortfalls to encourage seamless intra-Africa travels.”
On her half, Susan Akporiaye, nationwide president of the Nationwide Affiliation of Nigerian Journey Businesses (NANTA), emphasised the necessity for progressive options to unlock financial potential within the journey business. She highlighted coaching programmes geared toward enhancing members’ expertise and revenue streams.
“In a bid to unlock the financial potential within the commerce business, I’ve led my members by means of a sequence of coaching for innovation and on new streams of revenue,” Akporiaye mentioned in an interview.
Regardless of the challenges, there may be optimism for change. Ukachukwu, who doubles because the founding father of Stroll for Love Africa, referred to as on the Nigerian authorities to steer by instance by implementing a free-visa coverage for Africans visiting Nigeria. He famous the necessity for Nigeria to point out management in selling intra-Africa tourism and commerce.