Burkina grants free visa to African nationals

The Burkinabe government announced Thursday the introduction of free visas for African nationals.

“From now on, any national of an African country wishing to travel to Burkina Faso will not have to pay any visa fees.” The announcement was made following the Council of Ministers, by the Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana.

Free visas do not mean the abolition of visas, the minister specified.

The procedures for obtaining them remain in effect, but at no financial cost.

The government’s decision is based on an additional report to the 2025 Amending Finance Act. This is part of a broader strategy to strengthen intra-African cooperation.

By promoting the movement of goods and people, the government intends to stimulate trade, tourism, and diplomatic relations.

According to the Minister of Security, Chief of Police Mahamadou Sana, with this report, and in accordance with the pan-Africanist vision of President Ibrahim Traore, Burkina Faso reaffirms its desire to strengthen the historic bonds of brotherhood between African peoples.

The adoption of this decree aims to strengthen, on the one hand, the free movement of African peoples and their goods within Burkina Faso and, on the other, African integration, according to Minister Sana.

The Council of Ministers reiterated that this reform reflects the country’s political will to build bridges rather than borders.

Burkina Faso thus hopes to become a welcoming and exchange-oriented country for the continent. With this decision, Ouagadougou sends a strong signal: that of a country banking on African unity to strengthen its position in the region and assert its sovereignty.

Slightly earlier, Burkina Faso and Italy had concluded a bilateral agreement on the reciprocal abolition of visas.

This measure, however, does not exempt Burkinabe nationals from the visa requirement to travel to other countries in the Schengen area.

HO/ac/Sf/fss/as/APA