President William Ruto has stated that by the end of the year, Kenya will no longer require visas for any visitors from Africa.

"It is time we... realise that having visa restrictions amongst ourselves is working against us," he told an international conference.

The African Union (AU) has pursued the objective of achieving visa-free travel across the continent for the past decade. However, progress in this regard has been sluggish, despite the existence of regional agreements and bilateral arrangements.

As of a 2022 report endorsed by the AU, only Seychelles, The Gambia, and Benin grant entry to all African citizens without requiring a visa.

Nonetheless, the Africa Visa Openness Index, which gauges the degree of openness of each African country to visitors from other African nations, indicates that most countries are moving towards streamlining entry procedures and reducing restrictions on visitors from other countries on the continent.

In 2022, Kenya was ranked 31st out of 54 states on this index. During an address to an audience in Congo-Brazzaville, President Ruto expressed his concern that the current state of affairs was detrimental to business.

"When people cannot travel, businesspeople cannot travel, entrepreneurs cannot travel, we all become net losers.

"Let me say this: As Kenya, by the end of this year, no African will be required to have a visa to come to Kenya," he said to loud cheers from the conference delegates.

"Our children form this continent should not be locked in borders in Europe and also be locked in borders in Africa."

He addressed an assembly convened with the aim of safeguarding some of the planet's largest rainforests.

The African Union (AU) introduced its African passport back in 2016, envisioning a future where all African citizens could travel freely across the continent without the need for visas. However, the widespread availability of this passport remains a challenge.

This is, in part, due to concerns regarding security, smuggling, and the potential impact on local job markets. If eliminating all visa restrictions is currently deemed too ambitious, the Visa Openness Index report puts forth several alternative measures. These measures encompass reducing fees, standardizing visa on arrival for African visitors, and implementing a secure e-visa system.