Brazzaville — President William Ruto of Kenya announced on Saturday that visa requirements for all Africans will be abolished by the end of 2023, aiming to enhance trade relationships with African nations. Speaking at the summit in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, which brought together the world’s major forest basins including the Amazon, Congo, and Borneo-Mekong Forest Basins, Ruto emphasized the significance of fostering trade within the continent.
“Our objective is to eliminate the need for visas when entering Kenya by the end of this year, ensuring that no African is hindered from conducting business or engaging in trade with us,” stated Ruto. He highlighted the current low levels of intra-African trade and advocated for reducing customs tariffs across the continent to facilitate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“It is crucial that we recognize the value of trading among ourselves, allowing the seamless movement of goods, services, people, and ideas across our continent,” Ruto added. He also emphasized the success of the East African Community countries in boosting trade through the removal of visa requirements and tariffs.
The rainforests in the Amazon basin of South America, the Congo basin in Central Africa, and the Borneo-Mekong basin in Southeast Asia collectively encompass about 80 percent of the world’s rainforests and support approximately two-thirds of global biodiversity. These rainforests play a crucial role not only in local ecosystems but also on a global scale by regulating the Earth’s climate and sustaining life.
Xinhua
