Ramsco's Women Empowerment Initiative Recognized Among Top BRICS Businesswomen Practices for 2025    Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    Gold prices end July with modest gains    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Egypt's FM, US envoy discuss Gaza ceasefire, Iran nuclear talks    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Federal Reserve maintains interest rates    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Egypt, Oman discuss environmental cooperation    Egypt's EDA explores pharma cooperation with Belarus    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Africa-wide passport launched amid skepticism at AU Summit
African leaders have come together in Rwanda this week for their 27th summit. Proposals include a new Africa-wide passport but most Africans are skeptical.
Published in Daily News Egypt on 18 - 07 - 2016

African leaders have come together in Rwanda this week for their 27th summit. Proposals include a new Africa-wide passport but most Africans are skeptical.
At their summit in Kigali, heads of state from the African Union (AU) are tackling many issues including the free movement of African citizens and goods through the union's 54 member states.
The passport launching ceremony was presided over by the outgoing president of the AU Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who called the move a "steady step toward the objective of creating a strong, prosperous and integrated Africa, driven by its own citizens and capable of taking its rightful place on the world stage."
The president of Chad, Idriss Deby Itno, chairperson of the AU, and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the host of the AU Summit received the first passports from the AU chairperson.
"I feel deeply and proudly a true son of Africa after receiving this passport," said Deby.
The AU is seeking to stress the importance of fast-tracking integration on the continent as a means of achieving socio-economic growth.
Ordinary Africans empty-handed?
The passports which were issued to the leaders of Chad and Rwanda are only available for AU officials and heads of state. This will eventually be widened to include foreign ministers. It was not revealed when and or if ordinary Africans would receive an Africa-wide passport.
The idea of the free movement of trade and people has long been a goal of many African politicians. However, outside of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where 15 West African countries offer a passport for intra-regional travel of member states' citizens for up to 90 days, little has been achieved in establishing the free movement of either people in goods over borders on the African continent.
Dlamini-Zuma urged heads of states in Africa to create their own protocols for introducing Africa-wide passport to their citizens "as and when they are ready."
The passport features inscriptions in five languages, English, French, Arabic, Portuguese and Swahili, with the AU boasting that the documents contain "high security features."
Skepticism abounds
Most Africans are skeptical of such a continent-wide passport. Although the European Union allows for the free movement of goods and citizens, passports continue to be issued by national authorities.
"I do not think the visa brings anything good rather it might bring some hidden complications which we are going to see in the future," said Asrat Tasse, a politician living in Addis Ababa.
The East African Community comprised of Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi has long spoken of implementing the free movement of goods across the region but the initiative has yet to be fully realized.
"We will have to wait and see when it's actually rolled out to citizens like myself of African countries and not to our heads of state or to people working for the African Union," said Ottilia Maunganidze, a researcher the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).
Rwandan President Paul Kagame stated that the passport and the summit was a chance for the continent to achieve new goals.
"Africa is being raised actively by us the people of this continent, our job is simply to raise Africa even higher," Kagame remarked.


Clic here to read the story from its source.