By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Junta-led Burkina Faso says it has stopped visa fees for all African travellers, aiming to facilitate the movement of people and goods into the country.
“From now on, any citizen from an African country wishing to go to Burkina Faso will not pay any amount to cover visa fees,” the West African nation’s security minister, Mahamadou Sana, announced on Thursday after a cabinet meeting chaired by military leader Capt. Ibrahim Traoré.
According to the the minister, all African visitors are however required to submit an online visa application, which will be reviewed for approval.
Burkina Faso now joins the league of countries, such as Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya, which have eased travel requirements for African visitors.
A statement from the junta’s information service on Thursday said the scrapping of visa fees for the continent’s nationals reflects Burkina Faso’s attachment to Pan-Africanist ideals and promotes regional integration.
“This free visa system for African nationals will also help promote tourism and Burkinabe culture, and improve Burkina Faso’s visibility abroad,” it added.
Several African countries have tried to ease travel requirements for visitors from elsewhere on the continent in recent years, with studies showing it is often easier for citizens of Western countries to visit.
The move to facilitate travel within the continent is also being pushed by the African Union (AU).
Along with its neighbours, Mali and Niger which are also under military rule, Burkina Faso has pulled out from regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
It is not clear how this will affect citizens of West Africa who can already travel to Burkina Faso without the need for visas.
Capt. Traoré, a young soldier who seized power in a 2022 coup, portrays himself as a champion of Pan-Africanism, while often criticising the West and colonialism. He is admired in the continent for his charismatic leadership.
