SANF 05 no 85
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is steadily moving towards a visa-free region with a number of member states entering into bilateral agreements that are largely complementary to the regional protocol on facilitation of movement of people.
The latest bilateral agreement, which scraps visa requirements, is between Mozambique and Swaziland, which took effect on 15 October. The agreement was signed in August, the same month when the SADC Silver Jubilee Summit held in Botswana adopted the landmark Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons in SADC.
Mozambique has already signed no-visa agreements with Botswana and South Africa. Another agreement between Mozambique and Zambia is expected to take effect latter this year, while negotiations between Zimbabwe and the former are underway.
Commenting on the agreement with Zambia, Mozambican Foreign Affairs Minister, Alcinda Abreu, said that the agreement would take place as soon as Mozambique sorted out some administrative procedures such as the ratification of the agreement and publishing in the Botelim da República, the official gazette.
“As soon as the two parties inform each other that these steps have been concluded, the visa waiver takes effect,” said Abreu, adding that “I think this will happen by the end of the year.”
Similarly, Angola is currently negotiating separate no-visa agreements with Botswana and Namibia. In fact, Angola and Namibia signed an agreement on 14 October and modalities are being worked out to enable the agreement to come into effect.
Visa requirements are often reciprocal between countries. Although there is still a number of countries in the region that require visas, the practice will soon disappear with the coming into effect of the bilateral arrangements, and more crucially, the SADC protocol.
The SADC protocol goes further than most bilateral agreements, which allow for business or tourist visits of no more than 30 days per visit. The regional protocol will facilitate visa-free entry for a maximum of 90 days per year with provision for an extension. It will facilitate residence and establishment by individuals or families in territories of member states.
The SADC protocol requires ratification by at least two-thirds of the 14 member states before it comes into force. While this process may take long, the bilateral agreements will in effect short-circuit the process.
At the signing of the bilateral agreement between Mozambique and Swaziland, the latter’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mabili Dlamini, said that “it will produce great benefits, especially for the small traders who survive by buying and selling goods in either side of the common border. It will boost social economic development.”
Indeed this is a significant step for traders who almost on a daily basis make the three-hour drive to and fro Maputo in Mozambique to Manzini in Swaziland. (SARDC)
