African Union Passport Launched In 2021

On January 7 local time, according to local media reports, the African continent free trade area (afcfta) is expected to launch a new AU passport in 2021. Analyst justis marala said it was crucial to the success of the continent's free trade area and would greatly simplify travel on the continent.

It is understood that the Au passport is the flagship project of the AU's agenda 2063, which aims to eliminate restrictions on African people's travel, work and life on the African continent. The Au passport plan was officially launched in 2016, but due to various reasons and the epidemic situation, its original promotion arrangement in 2020 was affected. One of its main purposes is to exempt holders from having to obtain a visa from all 55 countries in Africa. So far, only African government leaders, diplomats and Au officials have been granted the passport.

Malala also said that affected by the epidemic situation, the African continent Free Trade Zone, originally scheduled to start in July 2020, was postponed to January 1, 2021. However, most of the travel restrictions in African countries have been lifted, and the new crown vaccine program is progressing steadily, so the free trade area on the African continent may be able to operate smoothly.