The Challenges of African Mobility
Africa faces significant challenges when it comes to the free movement of people between its countries. Despite the existence of the African Union’s Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, which was adopted in 2018, only four out of the 55 member states have ratified it. This lack of progress highlights the difficulties in achieving continental integration.
A recent report from the African Union underscores the low level of human integration across the continent. It identifies several main challenges, including legal fragmentation, weak institutional frameworks, security concerns, and limited mutual recognition of documents and qualifications. These issues hinder the smooth movement of people and create barriers for economic and social development.
However, there is some positive news. African migration governance systems are showing signs of improvement. For instance, the African Visa Openness Index, published by the African Development Bank, indicates that 28% of country-to-country travel scenarios within Africa now allow citizens to cross borders without a visa. This is an improvement from 20% in 2016, although the pace of change remains slow.
The Role of Continental Initiatives
Despite the slow progress, there is still a role for continental initiatives in promoting free movement. Based on our research over the last decade, we argue that incremental reforms at all levels—unilateral, bilateral, regional, and continental—can collectively move Africa towards free and regular movement.
While the implementation of the African Union Protocol on Free Movement of Persons is still some way off, there are opportunities to support its aims through various initiatives. These could include pilot programmes under the auspices of the African Union and regional bodies that allow specific categories of people to travel freely. Examples might include traders at borders or individuals with professional skills.
Obstacles to Progress
Several factors hinder the success of continental efforts to reform and align migration governance. First, the African Union has 55 members, making any wholesale institutional intervention difficult. In contrast, the European Union has 27 members. The large number of countries complicates coordination and implementation.
Second, there are significant inequalities within and between African countries. The richest country in Africa has an income per person about 53 times higher than the poorest. These disparities often coincide with better judicial systems and social services in wealthier nations, leading to fears of uncontrolled influxes among vulnerable residents.
Third, the level of institutional development varies widely across the continent. Many African countries have weak population registration systems. For example, Unicef estimated that in 2022, more than half of the world’s unregistered children were in Africa. Additionally, only one in three deaths in Africa were registered in 2021, according to The Lancet medical journal. These gaps in record-keeping affect the ability to issue identification documents and passports effectively.
Historical Efforts and Current Developments
African initiatives to facilitate easier border crossings have a long history. In 1991, the Abuja Treaty committed Organisation of African Union member states to establish a common market and gradually remove obstacles to the free movement of persons, goods, services, and capital. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights also guarantees the right to free movement of persons.
The Migration Policy Framework for Africa and Plan of Action (2018-2030) provides a detailed plan for implementing the Free Movement of Persons Protocol. The 2018 protocol itself outlines the benefits of freer movement for Africa’s social and economic development, setting up a three-phase programme from visa-free visits to rights to settle, work, and start a business.
A More Practical Way Forward
Our research suggests that a varied approach might be more effective. For example, the AfCFTA services protocol allows for the visa-free movement of certain categories of professional and business persons. If implemented, this would be a significant step towards broader reforms.
Informal cross-border traders could also be included in formal agreements. Such initiatives could be initiated as pilot programmes under the auspices of the AU and regional blocs. These programmes could focus on regional agreements on mutual recognition of skills, special economic zones with freer movement provisions, or harmonised visa policies for specific categories of persons.
If successful, these models could be scaled up to encourage broader adoption of the AU Free Movement of Persons Protocol. Countries with weaker institutional capacities should not be left behind in integrating mobility into the implementation of the free trade agreement. Capacity-building programmes, including financial and technical assistance, should be provided to states that struggle with border management, migration governance, or digital infrastructure.
Continental and regional forums to exchange views and experiences in migration policy and practice are also important. We recommend more frequent and focused forums to monitor the implementation of migration reform policies and discuss the systematic deepening of reforms.
