With the objective of encouraging and promoting free movement of people, and thereby continental free trade area, the African Union has launched ‘Agenda 2063’ in the year 2013.
To this end, the continental organization has been taking various reforms guided by its ‘Agenda 2063’ vision: creating an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in international arena.
The fact that Africa’s economic, social, health, trade and other sectors is directed towards African integration and propensity meant that Ethiopia, as the host nation of the African Union Headquarters, is fast becoming a hub for international, continental and regional conferences.
And the government of Ethiopia has been undertaking various measures that eases and promotes the movement of Africans to their continental capital, Addis Ababa. For instance, recently, it has introduced e-visa and on arrival visa systems targeting African nationals.
The Ethiopian Herald approached some of the participants that came to Addis to take part in the 32nd Ordinary Session of AU, and AU staffs to understand how at home Africans really feel in Ethiopia, and more specifically in Addis Ababa, as Antonio Dios, a Cabo Verdean (Cape Verdean) Chief Protocol Officer says Cabo Verdean and Ethiopia have a lot of similarities. For sure, Ethiopia is the home of Africans, he said.
“Ethiopians respects us all; they are hospitable people with nice culture, and we have easy access to the country through the Ethiopian Airlines, he says. “As our home, Ethiopia allows us Africans to speak loudly in a single voice to the world especially concerning climate change.
Another participant of the Summit, Sissanko Tamko, who has been broadcasting the events from inside the AU Headquarters to her home country Cameroon, says that the weather in Addis Ababa is very friendly and the people are willing to assist African brothers and sisters.
Tamko, who is a Chief Correspondent of the Cameroon Televison, also adds that Addis is definitely home of Africans, as it is the capital of Africa and host city of the AU Headquarters.
“I am out of Cameroon, but I feel that I am still at home. And I shouldn’t have to bear a passport since it is the same as coming to my second home,” she notes before calling upon African leaders to work towards avoidance of passport to visit Addis Ababa.
The African Union should also facilitate the free movement of persons and goods in the continent irrespective of some illegalities when it comes to security matters, Tamako states.
The Main Department for Immigration under the Immigration and Vital Events Agency also recently assured that the Ethiopian government is working to eliminate visa and passport requirements for African so as to promote the free movement of people, tourism and Intra-African Trade in line with the ‘Agenda 2063’ vision of the African Union.
Mai Tarek El-Gebeily, an Egyptian national and AU staff with the title of Arabic Interpreter, for her part notes to a large extent, the country is called the capital of Africa due to the fact that the African Union is the true presentation of Africans, and Addis Ababa represents all Africans under single building.
Apart from the African Union Headquarters, there are many African representations here in Ethiopia; and after Ethiopia introduced visa on arrival and e-visa system, Africans can now easily enter to the country.
The Ethiopian Herald February 14 /2019
BY HAFTU GEBREZGABIHER
