Starting in January, travellers from around the globe will no longer need a visa to visit Kenya, President William Ruto announced on Tuesday.
The government, under Ruto’s leadership, has introduced a digital platform to facilitate the process, granting all visitors electronic travel authorization in advance, eliminating the need for traditional visa applications.
What President Ruto said:
“It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya,” he said in a speech in the capital Nairobi at an event to mark 60 years of independence from Britain
“Kenya has a simple message to humanity: Welcome Home!” he added.
This comes a few months after he announced plans to eliminate visa requirements for all African visitors by the end of 2023 during his keynote address at the Three Basins Climate Change Conference in Brazzaville, Congo
According to him, the move was necessary to enhance trade and foster closer economic ties with other African nations
“By the end of this year, no African will need a visa to enter Kenya. The time has come to understand the importance of doing trade between us,”
“It is time we realize the importance of trading among ourselves and allowing goods, services, people and ideas to move freely across the continent.” He added that trade among East African Community countries had grown significantly due to these initiatives
Kenya recently eliminated visa requirements for Angolan citizens. During the African Private Sector Dialogue Conference on Free Trade in May, President William Ruto expressed that this move might signify the last occasion African delegates need to pay for visas when visiting Kenya.
The move holds significance for Kenya’s economy, where the tourism sector is a key contributor, attracting visitors with beach holidays along the Indian Ocean coastline and wildlife safaris inland.
Nations across Africa are increasingly realizing the critical importance of dismantling barriers that have long hindered intra-continental interactions. From the removal of troublesome trade tariffs within sub-regions to the elimination of visa restrictions entirely, the continent is on a fast progressive pat
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