CAMEROON-CEMAC VISA Visa-free confusion hinders trade and travel in Central Africa zone

Record ID: 150755

  • Title: CAMEROON-CEMAC VISA Visa-free confusion hinders trade and travel in Central Africa zone
  • Date: 10th June 2015
  • Summary: KYE-OSSI, SOUTHERN CAMEROON (RECENT) (REUTERS) MAIN ROAD IN BORDER TOWN OF KYE-OSSI CARS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE BORDER THAT ARE WAITING TO CROSS GABONESE CAB IN KYE-OSSI STREET SCENES SIGN INDICATING THE BORDER WITH EQUATORIAL GUINEA AND THE TOWN OF D'AMBAM (SOUNDBITE) (French) NDEFFO JEAN CLEBERT, KYE-OSSI RESIDENT SAYING: "We thought that the deal was signed but nothing
  • Embargoed: 25th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA59T0AB3IMHHS72FJUZ980BPAP
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Over a month since leaders of the six-nation Central Africa franc zone took a decision to immediately remove visa requirements for citizens in the region, it has still not been implemented, leaving travellers confused and hampering trade.
    The long overdue visa-free commitment is seen as a first step towards greater regional trade, travel and economic exchange in one of Africa's least integrated economic zones compared with west, south or the east Africa communities.
    Mooted since 2005, the decision was initially supposed to take effect on January 1, 2014. But objections from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, the two smaller countries of the zone over security concerns, meant it was never fully implemented.
    Although Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Central Africa Republic and Congo Republic share a common central bank and franc CFA currency pegged to the euro, border thickness and other restrictions on the movement of goods and services continues to hinder economic growth, according to experts.
    The African Development Bank 2015 economic outlook, said it took the longest time, the most number of documents, and cost the most to export or import a cargo container in the region than in any other world region.
    In Cameroon's tri-border town of Kye-Ossi, some 275 km (170 miles) south of Yaounde, traders, travellers and drivers were left dumbfounded when they rushed to the border the day after the decision, only to be told visas were still required.
    "We thought that the deal was signed but nothing has changed on the ground, because even to enter only within three kilometers from the border, you have to pay 2000 francs (3 USD) to cross," said one Kye-Ossi resident, Ndeffo Jean Clebert.
    "They still ask for visas, even if you want to go within the radius that Cameroonians used to be able to go to without paying anything. Up until now they still ask for a visa, not to mention the harassment. When you enter within 3 kilometers, they harass you, they even take your money," said Bohou Desire, a transport operator from Equatorial Guinea.
    A statement from the heads of state's May 6 meeting had said the decision was immediate and citizens from the region only needed to present a bio-metric passport or identity cards to travel from one country to another for a short 90-day stay.
    While most countries in the region have moved toward implementing the decision, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon are still reticent, thus holding back the rest, regional diplomats and experts said.
    Philloe Nanga is the head of the the NGO One world, One future, which has been campaigning for years for the free movement of people and goods in the CEMAC zone.
    He said that the major hurdle in implementing the agreement has been the lack of political will from member countries.
    "The reality is that this is something that concerns everyone. There are of course two states that have become stricter, but when it comes to the mobility of people from the subregion, only Chad allows for the free movement of people travelling to and from its territory. Even Cameroon requires visas. Cameroon does what they call 'reciprocity,' to apply reciprocity means that as long as Equatorial Guinea demands visas from Cameroonians, Cameroon will demand visas from Guineans. Same goes for Gabon," he said.
    According to some diplomats in Cameroon's ministry of external relations, the decision was mostly being held back by politicians who did not sincerely want it to be implemented.
    Some countries such as Equatorial Guinea and Gabon believe that they will be invaded if they open up their borders.
    "It is the citizens who need to impose free movement of people and goods. In my opinion, this will not be solved overnight, it will take a long time to get all the countries to come to an agreement. Maybe it will take a new generation of leaders in order to change things and implement them," Nanga said.
    Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, the two countries with a total population of less than 3 million people out of the region's total nearly 47.5 million, insists that passports and other travel documents must be secured before the full implementation of the visa-free decision.
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