The image of Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Chadian President Idriss Déby proudly holding the first two copies of the newly launched pan-African passport at the African Union (AU) summit in the Rwandan capital Kigali this month marked the type of historic moment rarely seen at such gatherings, where outcomes are often measured in declarations or resolutions.
With the launch of the new pan-African document, the continent moved up a notch towards the free cross-border movement of goods and people – in direct contrast to Brexit, the decision by British voters to exit the European Union.
The AU will issue the new biometric or electronic passports only to African heads of state, foreign ministers and diplomats accredited by the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It will bear the AU’s name and that of the issuing country. The plan is for African governments to roll it out to their citizens by 2018.
Many thought the move was well overdue, since one of the AU’s regional trading blocs, the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has been offering 90-day visa-free entry to member states’ citizens since the late 1970s.
Visas in Ghana
One sign that the region is making progress in dismantling intra-African trade barriers is that while the AU was launching its new passport, Ghana, a member of ECOWAS, was starting to issue visas upon arrival to citizens of all 54 African countries. Prior to the move, Ghana offered visa-free entry only to ECOWAS citizens.
According to the African Development Bank’s Africa Visa Openness Report 2016, acquiring a visa is a huge challenge for travellers, with Africans still needing visas to travel to 55 percent of other African countries. Only 13 out of 54 countries offer liberal access (visa-free or visa on arrival) to Africans.
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China deal to create over 2 000 jobs in SA
Johannesburg – An auto plant by a Chinese state-owned car manufacturer will create more than 2 500 jobs in South Africa.
The Beijing Automotive International agreed to build an R11bn ($759m) auto plant in South Africa, the biggest investment in a vehicle-production facility in the country in four decades.
The Beijing Automotive International plans to start production at the facility in 2018, chief executive officer Dong Haiyang told reporters in the southern coast city of Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.
The plant will be built in partnership with South Africa’s state-owned Industrial Development Corp. and have a capacity of 100 000 units a year by 2027, he said at the the industrial development zone where the factory will be located.
“South Africa’s automotive industry has received a major shot in the arm with the announcement of the biggest greenfield investment in 40 years,” the companies said in a joint statement.
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Eating Around Africa: 15 Foodie Destinations To Explore
Eating around Africa Johannesburg is a mix of everything — African, Dutch, English, Malay and other influences all mixed up in a pot. Potjiekos (pot food) is a culturally important South African dish cooked in a cast-iron pot. For the truly adventurous, try a smiley (cooked sheep’s head) or walkie-talkie (chicken feet stew). Africa’s culinary offerings are as diverse as its people and countries. With hundreds of different food styles — U.K., Oman, Portugal, India, and even China, to name a few — Africa should be on every foodie’s list.
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Convention on tourism for BRICS countries
The Ministry of Tourism in India will hold a BRICS Convention on Tourism from September 1-2 in Khajuraho Madhya Pradesh as a precursor to the BRICS Summit to be held in Goa on October 15-16.
The convention will comprise inter-governmental exchange of views, panel discussions on technology, innovation in tourism, and co-operation between the BRICS countries for promoting intra-regional tourism.
Arrivals to South Africa from China, India and Brazil account for 11% of the overseas arrivals for the first six months of the year. Statistics for Russia have not been isolated.
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AU ushers in continental passport while Brexit closes doors
The image of Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Chadian President Idriss Déby proudly holding the first two copies of the newly launched pan-African passport at the African Union (AU) summit in the Rwandan capital Kigali this month marked the type of historic moment rarely seen at such gatherings, where outcomes are often measured in declarations or resolutions.
With the launch of the new pan-African document, the continent moved up a notch towards the free cross-border movement of goods and people – in direct contrast to Brexit, the decision by British voters to exit the European Union.
The AU will issue the new biometric or electronic passports only to African heads of state, foreign ministers and diplomats accredited by the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It will bear the AU’s name and that of the issuing country. The plan is for African governments to roll it out to their citizens by 2018.
Many thought the move was well overdue, since one of the AU’s regional trading blocs, the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has been offering 90-day visa-free entry to member states’ citizens since the late 1970s.
Visas in Ghana
One sign that the region is making progress in dismantling intra-African trade barriers is that while the AU was launching its new passport, Ghana, a member of ECOWAS, was starting to issue visas upon arrival to citizens of all 54 African countries. Prior to the move, Ghana offered visa-free entry only to ECOWAS citizens.
According to the African Development Bank’s Africa Visa Openness Report 2016, acquiring a visa is a huge challenge for travellers, with Africans still needing visas to travel to 55 percent of other African countries. Only 13 out of 54 countries offer liberal access (visa-free or visa on arrival) to Africans.
Source