December 5, 2015  Admin

 

AFRICAN UNION TO IMPLEMENT SINGLE AFRICAN PASSPORT BY 2020

The African Union (AU) has reiterated its plan of creating a single passport to ease the movement of people and goods across the continent.

AU Commissioner for Political Affairs Dr. Aisha Abdullahi said on Sunday that the plan for a single African passport is in progress and so far, two countries – Rwanda and Mauritius – have implemented it.

The decision to implement a single passport for Africa is part of the AU’s 2063 Agenda. The move, which was agreed upon last year, aims to improve intra-African trade. The project also aims to ease the movement of domestic goods between member states.

“This would also ensure the free movement of people on the continent,” Abdullahi said at the #Africities summit over the weekend.

“Our people will not have to carry a visa to gain access to other African states. There will be free trade of goods”.

Agenda 2063 seeks to develop an industrial, peaceful and prosperous Africa. The AU has identified a few projects that will facilitate the achievement of the agenda in 10 years. These projects include an integrated high speed train network, a single African aviation market and the African passport.

Along with improving intra-African trade, the AU also seeks to create a peaceful continent. The AU has established a 2020 deadline to silence the guns on the continent. The task is especially difficult due to the recent escalation of terrorism in Africa.

According to reports, many have expressed concerns over the implementation of the common African passport. While the benefits of a single African passport are alluring, there are obvious challenges.

The recent spate of xenophobic attacks in South Africa is an example of the challenges the project will face. The issue of unemployment, widespread poverty and conflicts are also certain to affect the implementation of Agenda 2020.

However, some have underscored the fact that the challenges are the very problems that Agenda 2012 aims to resolve.

http://www.zegabi.com/articles/9789

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The AU is based on the common vision of a united and strong Africa and on the need to build a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth and the private sector, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion amongst the peoples of Africa.

 

As a continental organization it focuses on the promotion of peace, security and stability on the continent as a prerequisite for the implementation of the development and integration agenda of the Union. The African Union supports among others, sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States. It wants to encourage international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United but also works with relevant international partners in the eradication of diseases and promoting health on the continent.

MAKING AFRICA THE PREFERRED DESTINATION FOR TOURISM IN THE CONTEXT OF AU AGENDA 2063

The African Union Ministerial Working Group on tourism sector development strategy have concluded a two-day brainstorming meeting on 14 March 2014 in Seychelles in view to strategise on how to make an African brand through tourism while attracting visitors to chose Africa as major destination.

Key speakers at the opening ceremony of the Ministerial Working Group include, Dr. Elham Mamoud Ibrahim, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union, Mr Jean-Paul Adam, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr Alain ST Ange, Minister of Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr Marthinus Van Schalkwyk, Minister of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa and Mr Regis Immongault, Minister of Mines, Industry and Tourism of the Republic of Gabon in the presence of the Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles in Addis Ababa, Mr. Joseph Nourrice, representatives of the diplomatic corps in Seychelles, AUC officials and invited guests.

 

Addressing the participants Commissioner Elham Ibrahim recalled that the idea of organizing the Ministerial working group meeting, was initiated and discussed in Seychelles some times ago, between the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles. “For sure, there could not be a better venue for this meeting than this place which embodies the very spirit of tourism of our continent. For me, the name Seychelles immediately creates in my mind, images of all that is beautiful with Africa.”, she noted. The Commissioner underscored that the Ministerial Group Meeting will define the long term aspirations of the continent in the tourism sector.

 

The African Union Commission, Commissioner Elham Ibrahim said, is in the process elaborating its long term strategy for speeding up development and integration of the continent. “This strategy which envisages Africa's prosperity in the next fifty (50) years since 2013 is known as the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063. It will be comprehensive and articulate on the aspirations of the African peoples in all their socio-economic endeavors”, she underlined. The Commissioner added that, the African Union Commission is well aware of the huge direct and indirect contribution of tourism to the economies of African countries at both macro and micro levels. (See complete statement of the AUC Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy on the AU website: www.au.int ).

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles reiterated the need for AU Member States to strengthen the role and place of tourism within the political discourse in Africa so as to build on the African brand by harmonising policies on the tourism sector. Minister Jean-Paul Adam reassured the AU Commissioner that his country will work with the AU Commission to further strengthen this sector to achieve all the dreams expressed in the 2063 agenda.

 

The Minister of Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Seychelles, on his part , hoped that the Ministerial working group will prepare a robust long-term strategy on tourism in Africa that will strengthen the role of the private sector and take into account the promotion of air connectivity among other infrastructures within the continent. “It is important for us as Africans to better connect our countries to create shared opportunities”, Minister Alain ST Ange added. He pointed out that Africa has a huge tourism potential in all aspects of the sector such as natural environmental wonders, exotic wildlife and plants, ancient cultures and historic relics. All these have not yet been well exploited and promoted to the extent of generating commensurate benefit to African countries.

 

A presentation on the AU Agenda 2063 was done during the Ministerial Working Group on Tourism. According to the agenda, the Ministerial working group was called upon to identify and implement interventions that are required to optimize the role of tourism as an engine and a catalyst for economic development and growth in Africa. Some examples, within the AU Agenda 2063 framework were highlighted such as: undertaking joint marketing including packaging and promotion of cross-border tourism attractions; promoting joint projects for infrastructure development and investment– for example, promoting African cross-border investment in hotels, airport, roads, ports; capacity building for people working in the tourism industry; and removing tourism visa constraints among others.