ONE AFRICA ONE VISA

While the issuing and presentation of the first African Union Epassports to President of Chad Idriss Déby and Rwandan leader Paul Kagame at the summit was certainly a milestone in terms of getting the ball rolling since the Lagos Plan in the 1980s and the 1991 Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (AEC) known as the Abuja Treaty, it is not clear how ordinary citizens of African countries will be able to get their own E-passports issued, since the document will initially be available to w heads of state, government officials and diplomats to begin with.

Termed as being “symbolic and significant for the continent”, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has been a driving force of this initiative albeit the concept itself not being new.

But what exactly are the challenges of a “one passport for all Africa” concept? “I think the intention is there, but we need to move beyond intention to real delivery, so I am hopeful, but I am not holding my breath” says