Knowledge & Resources

In 2019, the strong progress made under Agenda 2063’s Flagship Projects evidence that countries and regions across Africa have realized the value of supporting Africans to travel more freely on the continent.

Findings in the 4th edition of the Africa Visa Openness Index Report 2019, published by the African Development Bank and the Africa Union Commission, show that year-on-year, progress is undeniable and travelling across the continent is made easier. Today, African travellers no longer need a visa to travel to a quarter of other African countries, they have liberal access to 51% of the continent (visa-free or visa on arrival) and 21 countries now provide eVisa platforms (Up from 16 in 2018, 13 in 2017 and 9 in 2016). While the top 10 and top 20 continue to champion open visa policies, a record of 47 countries improved or maintained their visa openness scores.

The AfCFTA will not in one dramatic swoop alter existing commercial and economic realities on a vast scale, but its implementation could lead the recovery efforts from the COVID-19 crisis – Solomon Quaynor, VP African Development...

For the first time, on average, Africans can travel to approximately 27 countries visa-free or with a visa on arrival. Ethiopia moves up a record 32 places on the Index, entering the top 20 most visa-open countries in Africa

African countries are becoming more open to each other, 2018 Africa Visa Openness Report shows...

The Africa Trade Fund (AfTra) will support the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI), in providing and disseminating critical European market information to African exporters. The market information, which is produced and periodically updated by CBI makes it easier for African exporters and Business Support Organizations to identify business opportunities in more than 25 European market sectors.

The Technical Review Committee of the Africa Trade Fund (AfTra) at its meeting on February 13, 2015 in Abidjan, approved funding worth more than US $1.4 million for four projects that will support trade development in Africa.

2018 marked five years of AfTra operations as the Bank’s leading technical assistance trade fund for Africa, following through on its bold slogan ‘unlocking Africa’s trade potential.