Burkina Faso has scrapped visa fees for all African travelers, making it easier for people from across the continent to visit. This move aims to boost the free movement of people and goods, promote tourism, and enhance the country’s visibility abroad.
“From now on, any citizen from an African country wishing to go to Burkina Faso will not pay any amount to cover visa fees,” said Mahamadou Sana, the country’s security minister, following a cabinet meeting chaired by military leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré on Thursday September 11.
Although visa fees have been scrapped, African visitors will still need to submit an online visa application for approval before entering Burkina Faso.
This decision reflects Burkina Faso’s commitment to Pan-Africanist ideals and regional integration, aligning with the African Union’s efforts to facilitate travel within the continent.
Other African nations that have eased travel requirements for African visitors include Ghana that allows all African passport holders to visit without a visa, Rwanda doesn’t require visas for African visitors and Kenya Introduced a “visa-free” policy requiring online authorization before travel.
Burkina Faso’s military leader, Capt Ibrahim Traoré, has been promoting Pan-Africanism and criticizing Western influence since seizing power in a 2022 coup. Despite facing criticism for his authoritarian governance and handling of the ongoing Islamistation of jihadist groups, Traoré’s popularity has been fueled by social media, with many misleading posts bolstering his revolutionary image.
