Hon Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Production, Social, and Political Sectors at the East African Community (EAC), has emphasised that political will, reinforced by clear economic benefits, is central to advancing Africa’s agenda for visa-free travel.
She made these remarks at the High-Level Symposium on Advancing a Visa-Free Africa for Economic Prosperity, a side event organised by the African Union Commission’s Department of Health, Humanitarian and Social Affairs and the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, during the 39th Summit of AU Heads of State and Government on Friday, 13 February 2026, at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Speaking during the segment titled “How Can We Move Faster Towards a Visa-Free Africa? and Why Mobility Matters for Regional Integration, Agenda 2063 and the Africa We Want,” at the High-Level Panel Discussion, Hon Malueth highlighted the strides the EAC has made in facilitating the free movement of people within the region. She noted that these measures are anchored in the EAC Treaty under the Common Market Protocol, which allows for the free movement of people, goods, services, labor, and capital.
“Whether you are talking about goods or services, there must always be a person behind them. You cannot move goods without people moving them,” she said, underscoring the link between mobility and economic activity.
According to Hon. Malueth, all eight EAC member states now issue visas on arrival that are free of charge to East African citizens, a policy that she described as a significant step toward regional integration. Beyond visa facilitation, the EAC has also promoted the use of national IDs for cross-border travel.
Countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda now allow citizens to prove their East African identity with a national ID at border crossings, removing the need for a passport in many cases.
The EAC has also introduced a common East African Passport designed to further simplify travel within the region, enhancing mobility for citizens and supporting cross-border trade. “The East African Passport is organised to facilitate the movement of East Africans within the region. It is a huge advantage to East Africans as it enhances their movement and facilitates trade,” Hon. Malueth said.
She added that trust in the free movement agenda comes from harmonised systems, interoperable border processes, agreed-upon standards, and tangible benefits to citizens.
“As His Excellency Magosi mentioned, the integration agenda can never take off if Africans cannot move. It is through movement that you trade. There are opportunities across borders. You can only achieve your dreams if free movement of people is facilitated,” she stressed.
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