AFCFTA: Visa On Arrival For Africans Begins January 2020 –- Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed Nigeria would commence
issuing visa on arrival in January 2020 to all holders of African
passport as a way of promoting free movement and facilitating the
full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement
(AfCFTA).

Nigeria had in July signed an agreement which aims to increase
trade between African countries.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President
on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari made the disclosure in
Egypt on Wednesday, during the opening session of the ongoing Aswan
Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa.

According to President Buhari, Africa must take its destiny in
its own hands by minimizing reliance on donor funding for the
execution of its vital peace, security and development agenda.

Buhari noted that in order to realize its Pan-African vision of
an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa driven by its own
citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena,
barriers that hinder free movement on the continent must be
dismantled.

He said: “We in Nigeria have already taken the strategic
decision to bring down barriers that have hindered the free
movement of our people within the continent by introducing the
issuance of visa at the point of entry into Nigeria to all persons
holding passports of African countries with effect from January,
2020.”

He added that Africans must focus on the issues of conflict
prevention and resolution.

Buhari declared that the resolution of conflict situations in
African countries remains a key component in the overall
development of the continent.

According to him, “Nigeria is not only host to our sub-regional
body ECOWAS but has also been supporting substantially the ECOWAS
budget up to about 60 percent.

“Nigeria has been funding by almost a 100 percent the operations
of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) fighting Boko Haram
Terrorists in the Lake Chad Basin.

“Conflicts have devastating effects on our societies and they
militate against our progress. In this regard, the need to silence
the guns cannot be overemphasized.”

President Buhari equally emphasized that massive investment in
transportation infrastructure was necessary for African economic
resurgence as this would facilitate the African Free Trade Area
Agreement recently signed on by the continental leaders.

“Africa should embark on the provision of transport connectivity
by enhancing the development of roads, rail, and air links which
will ease the free movement of persons, goods and services within
the continent. In this regard, we in Nigeria have already commenced
an aggressive drive to upgrade our rail transport system and road
networks across the country.

“We should furthermore promote free trade within and amongst
Africa and Africans especially now that we have launched the
African Free Trade Area Agreement,” the President said.

Buhari also harped on the fight against corruption and inclusive
growth: “The menace of corruption undermines our efforts to achieve
sustainable development and realize the goals of the AU Agenda
2063. It is also important to attach great priority to the
promotion of good and inclusive governance as we equally strive to
empower our women and youth.”

He once again used the opportunity to draw global attention to
the recession of the Lake Chad and its attendant economic
consequences for the region.

“The issue of climate change should be given the due attention
that it deserves. The effects of Climate Change are at the root of
some of the conflicts in parts of the continent. This is why we
must focus on the issue of the recharging of the Lake Chad which
used to provide livelihood to over forty million people in the
region. It is difficult to expect durable stability in the region
without restoration of the shrinking lake.

He urged African leaders to see education as a key tool for the
transformation and repositioning of our continent, saying, “Africa
would need to heavily invest in education and capacity building.
Education creates opportunities and holds the key for a better and
prosperous future of our people.”

Buhari added that his administration was, “ pursuing the
diversification of our economy through the development of
agriculture and mineral resources, the promotion of manufacturing
sector and the creation of job opportunities for our teeming
youths. By so doing, we will also discourage the irregular
migration of our youth out of the Continent through dangerous
journeys.”