Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former
minister of finance, has backed Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, on the
need to rectify issues with the African Union passport.
Okonjo-Iweala, showing
appreciation to some African countries, explained that the unifying passport
did not guarantee her visa-free entry into all African countries.
Speaking in Abidjan over the
weekend, Dangote said he, and a few other people, have got the African Union
passport, but he still was asked to get a visa before he could enter Angola.
The
African Union passport is supposed to be the unifying passport aimed at solving
Africa’s cross-border issues on the continent.
The passport is a common document
that is set to replace existing nationally-issued African Union member state
passports and exempt bearers from having to obtain any visas for all 55 states
in Africa.
DANGOTE NEEDED VISA ON AU
PASSPORT TO ENTER ANGOLA
Sharing his experience with
Sudanese billionaire Mo Ibrahim, Dangote said he had to get a visa to enter
Angola.
“Now they have issued us the
African Union passport, a few of us. I didn’t pay for it. I’ve got one, and let
me tell you this, [with] the one that I have, I went to South Africa quite Ok,”
TheCable quoted Dangote to have said.
“But [with] this same African
Union passport, I was invited by the president of Angola to come and see him,
and I had to go — normally, I don’t travel much during fasting period, but I
went.
“When I went there, I had to be
given visa on African Union passport.”
OKONJO-IWEALA NEEDED A VISA TO
ENTER MAURITANIA
Sharing her experience via a
Facebook post, Okonjo-Iweala said Dangote made an important point that must be
addressed.
“Aliko Dangote made an important
point about all African countries honoring the new AU passports. I strongly
support this,” Okonjo-Iweala said.
“As one of the privileged holders
using this for AU work, I would like to commend the authorities in #Ethiopia,
#Ghana, #Cotedivoire, #Zimbabwe, #Tanzania, #Rwanda for immediate acceptance
without visa.
“Mauritania issued a visa on the
spot making passage very fast. Moroccan officials were initially not familiar
with the passport.
“Thank you to the Moroccan
authorities for fast action to rectify this! African governments must make this
initiative work to prove we have collective will to move investments, goods,
services and people across borders.”
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