Burkina Faso says it has canceled visa fees for all African travelers, in an effort to facilitate the movement of people and goods into the country.
BBC reports that the Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana, disclosed the policy shift on Thursday after a cabinet meeting presided over by the country’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
“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.
“This free visa system for African nationals will also help promote tourism and Burkinabe culture, and improve Burkina Faso’s visibility abroad,” it added.
African visitors will however, be required to submit an online visa application, which will be reviewed for approval, the minister clarified.
The West African nation joins countries such as Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya, which have eased travel requirements for African visitors.
Citizens of West African countries can already travel to Burkina Faso without the need for visas, however this may change in the future because the country has pulled out of the regional bloc, Ecowas, along with its neighbours, Mali and Niger which are also under military rule.
Capt Traoré, a young soldier who seized power in a 2022 coup, portrays himself as a champion of Pan-Africanism, while often criticizing the West and colonialism.
