The Impact Of African Countries Adopting Visa-Free Policies On The Development Of The Continent

Picture source – Seek Logo

Some African countries went visa-free recently and with others looking to adopt this change too, one can only wonder about the sort of impact that these policies would have on the development of the continent.

The impact of African countries adopting visa-free policies includes a boost to tourism and international relations on the continent. Not only that but it stretches as far as having positive effects on the economies of these countries too.

Although there are not many yet, these visa-free African countries have set a pace that every other African hopes others will follow. Fortunately, everyone can see the results of such a decision and conclude that it remains a step in the right direction of achieving togetherness in Africa.

So, what are these impacts? Are they profound enough to act as a call for others to follow suit? This post explores these possibilities and provides the right answers.

A Boost To Tourism

Picture source –South Africa Tourism via African Renewal

When most people hear about a country going visa-free, one of the first things that come to mind is thoughts of vacation, visits, or tourism. And in the real sense of things, such thoughts are valid.

Relaxing the rules for travel to your country is an easy way to put it on the tourism maps. Every nation has historical sites and landmarks or beautiful natural wonders that people love to see. Others have innovated enterprises and structures that pull tourists from all over the world. The good news is that more people visiting your country for tourism provides benefits.

Firstly, everyone who comes into the country for such a purpose will purchase goods and services that directly or indirectly will reach the government and citizens. Simply put, tourism serves as a source of revenue for the country. If it grows, so does the revenue.

Furthermore, a well-established tourism sector creates more jobs for locals and citizens alike. Also, local vendors will experience an increase in profit and sales.

Encourages Investments in Neighbouring Countries

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Businesses seek to expand all the time and spreading to other countries signifies growth and more profit. If successful, the profit comes from the new market and customers. However, business owners consider several factors before choosing to take such a huge step.

When it comes to making a choice, anyone would consider how easy it is to travel to and from a target country. If the processes look less demanding, it makes it easy to facilitate business investments and oversee them.

In this sense, visa-free African countries have an edge over the others. Companies looking to invest in a new country will consider them first before others with stricter travel laws.

While this directly affects individual countries, it begins to benefit the continent in the short and long run because businesses begin to find it easy to spread among neighbouring countries. This will strengthen the overall economy of the African continent.

An Increase In Trade

Image: USAID’s Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub
USAID in Africa
, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This benefit is a variation of the one mentioned earlier. The improvement of trade relations between countries can be said to be directly proportional to how easy it is to travel from one country to another on a continent.

A growth and an increase in the exchange of goods and services is one of the changes that comes with neighbouring countries making it less demanding for citizens to travel between one another. And this directly benefits their economy by bringing in more profits, goods, and services that the countries need.

Skills And Cultural Exchange

Image: Facebook | Lagos City Chorale

As travelling between African countries becomes easy, tourists are not the only ones who stand to benefit. Skilled personnel at all levels will have a less difficult time moving from one country to the other on the continent.

This leads to an increase in knowledge sharing and skill exchange between countries that have relaxed travel laws by lifting visa restrictions for Africans.

The same can be said about culture exchange. With a more seamless movement between African countries, cultures will drift across borders effortlessly, giving rise to the dismantling of stereotypes and fostering a deeper sense of understanding and respect.

Here is a quick recap of the various ways that African countries adopting visa-free policies for Africans will impact the continent:

  • A Boost To Tourism
  • Encourages Investments in Neighbouring Countries
  • An Increase In Trade
  • Skills And Cultural Exchange.

A Step Closer To Pan-Africanism

All of the above impacts of African countries lifting visa restrictions are pushing the continent in the right direction. By bringing countries together, Africans will begin to pull closer and develop a sense of oneness and Pan-Africanism will grow.

Blocs like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the East African Community (EAC) will begin to operate and exist not only in words and documents but also in actions and deeds.

In conclusion, African countries adopting visa-free policies strengthen the much-needed development of the African continent.

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