In a bold push for Pan-African unity and seamless mobility across the continent, former Ghanaian Member of Parliament Ras Mubarak who leads the Trans African Tourism & Unity Campaign has declared that Africa is capable of achieving a fully visa-free system within the next five years, long before the African Union’s Vision 2063 deadline.
Ras, who is undertaking a 40,000 km road expedition through 39 African countries, a voluntary initiative backed by the Government of Ghana shared these remarks during a press briefing at Choate Boutique Restaurant and Hotel.
His remarks followed the completion of an extensive journey that cut across Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Eritrea, Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya.
“We are convinced that a borderless Africa is achievable within the next five years. And we believe Uganda can champion this cause. President Yoweri Museveni, having been on the political scene for long, is well positioned to persuade fellow African leaders that this is the right direction. Our appeal today is for His Excellency to make Uganda visa-free and rally other African governments to do the same,” Ras said.
He explained that the mission across 39 countries seeks to directly engage presidents, vice presidents, parliamentary speakers, and ministers of tourism and foreign affairs, urging them to recognise the immense collective gains the continent stands to reap from tourism, an industry valued at an estimated $3.3 trillion globally and to question why Africa should not claim a significant portion of that wealth.
Reflecting on their journey from West to East Africa, Ras described the expedition as a contribution to Africa’s liberation struggle, drawing inspiration from historic Pan-African icons such as Kwame Nkrumah, Modibo Keita, Ahmed Sekou Touré, King Mohammed V, and Gamal Abdel Nasser leaders who once gathered in Casablanca to push for a united continent.
“They imagined an Africa that shared a single currency, a unified transport system, and the freedom for every African to travel from one end of the continent to the other without restrictions. Since the 1960s, we’ve attempted to achieve this through regional blocs, but progress has been slow. So, as eight young Ghanaians, we decided to honour our forefathers who sacrificed their lives, liberty, and dignity for independence by taking up the mantle and campaigning for a visa-free Africa.”
He also cautioned against Africa’s reliance on traditional commodities whose prices are dictated by Western markets.
“When global prices for gold, cocoa, diamonds, and similar resources drop, our national budgets feel the hit. Tourism, however, is fuelled by people’s passion to explore and offers a more stable and scalable opportunity.”
Discussing the potential benefits of free movement across African borders, Ras highlighted that visa-free travel would lead to increased tourist arrivals, higher revenue, job creation, and improved infrastructure across the continent.
Isa Kato, CEO and Founder of Pristine Tours and Vice President of the Uganda Tourism Association (UTA), expressed gratitude to the Trans African Tourism and Unity Campaign for the initiative.
He urged that such efforts continue, noting that tourism has the power not only to drive economies but also to foster peace and unity across Africa.
“Our forefathers gave birth to Pan-Africanism, but time and events have overtaken their momentum. To compete with continents like Europe, Asia, and America who unite for their common interests, Africa must also wake up. Tourism is a powerful connector that binds communities, breaks barriers, and promotes unity beyond economics. I only wish every country on this journey had fully participated,” he said.
