Common business visa to be introduced for Eastern, Southern Africa

To make trade convenient in the Comesa (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) - a free trade zone with 20 nations in eastern and southern parts of Africa - plans are afoot to put in place a common business visa. This proposal was mooted during the Comesa Business Forum in the third week of October. The past few years have seen Comesa nations making advancements in enforcing protocols such as issuing 90-day visas, issuing visas on arrival and placement of Comesa desks to aid citizens of this bloc at ports of entry. It is believed that these measures would allow within Comesa free movement, trade improvement and better regional interaction. Steven Kampyongo, Zambia Minister of Home Affairs, was quoted by allAfrica.com as saying that unrestricted movement of people will allow for economic players in this region to discover opportunities, which would improve the business climate for producers as well as consumers. According to him, Comesa can make most of its pledges of unrestricted trade and prosperity only when free movement is possible between economic players including labour and capital. Dr. Kipyego Cheluget, Comesa Assistant Secretary General (programmes), was of the view that more steps need to be taken to ensure that business people can move about more freely, allowing trade to be improved within and outside of this region. If you plan to travel to any of the eastern and southern African nations, contact Y-Axis to get professional advice and assistance to file for a visa from one of its 19 offices located in eight Indian cities.