Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame declared a significant policy shift on Thursday, revealing the nation’s decision to grant visa-free access to African travelers. This move positions Rwanda among the growing list of African countries adopting similar measures with the aim of facilitating the free movement of people and promoting trade, akin to Europe’s Schengen zone.

Speaking from Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, President Kagame underscored the potential of Africa as a unified tourism destination. This vision aims to reduce the continent’s heavy reliance on tourists from outside Africa, which currently accounts for 60% of its tourism industry, as reported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

In his statement at the 23rd Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council, President Kagame emphatically asserted, “Any African can board a plane bound for Rwanda at their convenience, and they will not be required to pay an entry fee into our country.”