Unified African passport: A bold call for continental integration

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Amid the growing demand for continental integration, several African scholars have urged governments to take decisive steps toward allowing African citizens to use a single passport. This proposal was reignited during the seventh edition of The Africa We Want Parliament 2024, held this week at the African Union (AU) headquarters.

Decades after calls for unified economic and trade platforms, the African Union is now advancing the implementation of intra-continental free trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. While the AfCFTA forms a foundation for economic integration, scholars advocating for a single passport argue that greater political commitment is essential to fully realize ambitious initiatives such as AfCFTA and other mutual development plans.

Speaking to The Ethiopian Herald, Ambassador Young Piero, Africa Coordinator and Director of Parliament Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific Joint Session at the AU, emphasized that economic freedom cannot be achieved without a shared agenda and integrated policies that enable the free movement of African citizens across the continent.

“We talk about economic freedom, but nations still uphold laws and policies that hinder Africa’s development. Import duties for Africans should be abolished, and the free movement of goods, commodities, and people must be prioritized,” he said.

According to Ambassador Piero, Africa needs a comprehensive blueprint for integrated policies that favor individuals, companies, investors, and industrialization while promoting the free movement of people. Speaking on the need for a single passport, he stated: “We can create an integrated Africa. The AfCFTA, for example, is an ambitious agenda, but the free movement of people within Africa remains restricted.”

He stressed that regardless of the political systems in individual countries, collective efforts are essential to build a better future for the continent. “A ‘mine-first’ mentality only benefits one country, not the entire continent. Africa must prioritize unity and shared progress.”

Ambassador Piero pointed out that while the ideal time to implement such policies was 50 years ago, the present is the next best opportunity. “Africans, particularly the youth, cannot wait any longer. The continent’s current state is unacceptable because we are not acting or taking responsibility,” he said.

He called on African youth to take responsibility for shaping the continent’s destiny. “Africans must work together with respect and unity. The AU’s Agenda 2063 will remain unrealized unless citizens actively contribute to this vision. Citizens must commit to building functional systems, governments, policies, and a unified continent.”

He also emphasized that without free human mobility, the vision of Agenda 2063 cannot progress. “Ten years of Agenda 2063 have already passed. It’s time to stand on our feet and harness the power of collaboration. A single passport is critical, even if it starts regionally with Eastern, Western, and Southern African passports as intermediate steps.”

Bernard Kasekete (PhD), CEO of GOHORI Resort in Zimbabwe and recipient of the African Union’s Young Ambassador of Africa award, echoed similar sentiments. He highlighted the critical role of youth in shaping Africa’s future and urged them to embrace entrepreneurship and resource utilization.

“Africa is endowed with abundant natural resources. The younger generation must seize these opportunities. In Zimbabwe, for instance, the government is empowering youth in agriculture and encouraging them to contribute to nation-building. Young people are beginning to take control of resources,” he noted.

Kasekete also stressed the importance of changing young Africans’ perceptions, urging them to leverage their capacity and build their own legacies. “The youth must take ownership of Africa’s resources. We cannot wait for others to act for us. It is time to step forward and lead.”

While key sectors such as mining, farming, and entrepreneurship remain underdeveloped, Kasekete concluded that the youth bear the greatest responsibility for addressing these gaps and forging a prosperous future for the continent.

BY YESUF ENDRIS THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD