The Secretary General of Rwanda’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), Maj Gen Joseph Nzabamwita, has stressed the need for African countries to ease movement of people by waiving visa requirements, saying the current state of affairs hurts economic progress.
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Nzabamwita, who spoke on Wednesday, May 22, during the eleventh National Security Symposium, in Kigali, expressed his concern about African countries being reluctant to ease movement.
"What is the problem with us Africans? Not only do we fear our own people in our own countries, but we also fear our own brothers from our neighbouring countries,” he said, saying that most governments were reluctant to waive visa requirements, even as countries like Rwanda championed visa-free regimes.
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Rwanda has waived visa applications before travel for citizens of more than 100 countries. Travellers from African Union member states as well as those from La Francophonie and the Commonwealth countries, are not asked for visas to enter and stay in Rwanda for up to 30 days.
Nzabamwita gave the example of Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man who, during the May 17 Africa CEO Forum, said he needed up to 35 visas to travel across the continent.
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The Nigerian billionaire, who was in Kigali for the just-concluded Africa CEO Forum, was irked by being required to apply for a visa every time he travelled, even when he wanted to explore investment opportunities in a country.
"The most annoying thing is that, yes, if you are treating everybody the same [way], then I can understand,” said Dangote, adding that a person like Patrick Pouyanne, chairman of French oil company TotalEnergies, travelling on the continent with a French passport would not be required to 35 visas, "which means [he has] freer movement than myself in Africa.”
Dangote, however, commended Rwanda’s visa-free regime, describing it as "the best example.”
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Rwanda’s open border policy has been in place since 2018. Nzabamwita noted that Rwanda made bold decisions to waive the visa requirements. Travellers to Rwanda get a visa upon arrival.
"You can come to [Kigali] International Airport – anyone from anywhere in the world – you get your visa and get into Rwanda,” said Nzabamwita.
"Rwanda has been championing this,” said the General, adding that only four out of 55 African countries ratified a protocol of the African Union that promotes visa-free travel on the continent.
The eleventh National Security Symposium 2024 jointly organised by Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College (RDFCSC) and the University of Rwanda (UR) officially opened at Kigali Convention Centre on Wednesday, May 22.
The three-day symposium brought together academicians, government officials, diplomats and subject matter experts including Generals, Senior Military, Police Officers and civilians from 52 countries to discuss contemporary security issues on a revolving theme: "Contemporary Security Challenges: The African Perspective”.