Rwanda Tops East Africa in Easing Visa Restrictions for Travelers
Rwanda has emerged as a leader in East Africa for easing visa restrictions, significantly improving its position in the continent’s visa openness rankings. According to the latest Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI) for 2023, Rwanda’s score rose from 0.868 in 2022 to a perfect 1.000, placing it third overall in Africa. This improvement reflects a broader trend across the continent towards greater visa liberalization.
The Africa Visa Openness Index measures how easily visitors can enter a country, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival policies enhancing a country’s score. As of 2023, four African countries have adopted a visa-free entry policy, up from three in 2022. Leading the list is Benin, followed by The Gambia, Rwanda, and Seychelles. Benin has moved to the top of the rankings, pushing Seychelles down to fourth place.
The pandemic-related visa restrictions imposed by many African countries have now been fully reversed. The year 2023 has seen the highest average score for the AVOI to date, with 15 countries improving their scores compared to 10 in the previous period between 2021 and 2022.
In the East African Community (EAC), Rwanda’s progress is notable. Burundi, Tanzania, and Somalia also scored well, ranking among the top 20 countries in the index. In contrast, Kenya, which received praise for its announcement of visa-free entry for all visitors starting January 2024, scored 0.396 and is placed below average. The index, produced by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Union Commission (AUC), shows Kenya’s performance is still behind its regional peers.
The remaining EAC member states, including Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and South Sudan, rank lower on the index. Uganda scored 0.377, DRC 0.121, and South Sudan 0.087, indicating that these countries still have significant work to do in terms of visa openness.
Among the top 20 countries, eight have implemented e-visa systems, facilitating easier and more accessible travel. This move aligns with the African Union’s commitment to enhancing free movement across the continent.
Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development at the AUC, expressed pride in the progress made. She noted, “This year’s Africa Visa Openness Report reveals that Africa is continuing its upwards trajectory on freeing the movement of people on the continent.”
AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina highlighted the importance of visa openness for trade, emphasizing that “Trade is not done in a vacuum; it’s people that trade. Apart from the fact that you need connectivity, you also need freedom for people to move from one place to the other.”
