Africa: Visa-Free Africa By 2018 – Where Does Rwanda Lie?
In 2013, the African Union adopted Agenda 63, as a blueprint to propel the continent to prosperity within the next 50 years.
As part of the agenda, African countries committed to abolishing visa requirements for all African citizens travelling within the continent by 2018.
According to the second Africa Visa Openness Index, released mid this year, 75 per cent of the countries in the top 20 most visa-open countries are in either Eastern or West Africa, while 20 per cent are in Southern Africa.
Only one country in the top 20 most open to visas is in North Africa (Mauritania), while no countries in Central Africa appear in the top 20.
On January 1, 2013, Rwanda eased visa requirements for African nationals.
All holders of African passports travelling to or transiting through the country are issued an entry visa upon arrival at any Rwandan entry point. And, some countries do not require visas at all.
For Rwandans, however, of the 53 African countries, only 29 allow holders of the Rwandan passport to enter without a visa or issue it on arrival.
