ILO wants visa requirements for Africans scrapped

By Pascal Kwesiga 

THE International Labour Organization (ILO) has implored African countries to scrap visa requirements for Africans.

The move, according to ILO, would promote movement across the continent and stem the rising trend of Africans dying as they attempt to make risky trips to Europe in search for economic opportunities.

Over 800 people, mainly from sub-Sahara Africa, drowned in the Mediterranean Sea in February and April this year after their boats flipped on their way to Europe. Survivors said they were escaping from poverty at home.  

Currently, Africans pay embassies to be issued with visas to travel to respective African countries.

The visa application process is a headache for travellers since they have to queue up for long hours for their papers to be approved. The type and fare for the visa depends on the purpose of the visit.

According to Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, the head of Ethiopian based ILO Africa regional programming unit, African countries should emulate Rwanda that no longer subjects travellers to the east African country to a visa application process.

"We have closed African to Africans through visas. Getting a visa is a long and expensive process and this is an issue we are asking all regional blocks to put high on their agendas so we can open Africa to Africans," she said.

The East African Community (EAC) member countries also scrapped visa requirements for nationals from the regional block travelling to partner states.

Speaking to New Vision on the sidelines of the ongoing fifth Inter Government Authority on Development (IGAD) on regional consultative process on labour migration at Speke Resort hotel in Munyonyo in Kampala  on Thursday, Olonjuwon, noted that Governments advancing security concerns as part of the reasons for requiring travellers to apply for visas should think twice.

"Rwanda has no security problems, but her next door neighbour – DRC is in trouble," she added.

The ILO regional chief also urged African governments to build strong economies to discourage the continent's young population from being lured to make perilous trips outside the continent for better economic opportunities.

Information from IGAD shows that the major destinations for 'economic refugees' from Africa are Europe and Asia. However, the regional block, notes that scores of Africans are abused while some have been trafficked.

The IGAD chairman, Teferi Melesse, called for enactment of coherent policies and programs to improve labour migration and protection of the rights of the migrants.

The state minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Dr. Kamanda Bataringaya, called for sound mechanisms to regulate labour migration and creating robust economies to reduce the push factors for African economic migrants.

Charles Kwenin, the sub-Sahara Africa senior advisor for International Organization for Migration said Africa has the 'most restrictive migration policies'.

"We should not expect Europe to open boarders to us while we close ours to ourselves. You cannot promote integration and tourism like this," he added.

The IGAD health and social development program manager, Fathia Alwan, said AU has asked the regional blocks to revitalize efforts to enact protocols that will support free movement of persons across the continent.

"We at IGAD have completed a draft of the protocol and we will build on a similar protocol ratified by EAC. In future, we will have one protocol for the continent," she added.