Rwandan President Paul Kagame has introduced visa-free travel for all Africans, making Rwanda the fourth African country to do so.
“Let there be no mistake about it. Any African can get on a plane to Rwanda whenever they wish and will not pay a thing to enter our country,” President Kagame said on Thursday.
He added that that the move was aimed at capitalising on Africa’s growing tourism market, driven by the continent’s growing middle class.
Rwanda has been on a campaign to boost its tourism sector, partnering with football clubs like Arsenal and Bayern Munich to promote the country as a tourist destination.
Rwanda now joins Seychelles, The Gambia and Benin, the only African countries that provide visa-free entry for all African citizens.
This week, Kenya’s President William Ruto announced that the country would end visa requirements to all African visitors by 2024.
Several African countries have also entered bilateral agreements for visa-free travel, most recently Ghana and South Africa, and Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.