Burkina Faso has announced visa-free entry for all African citizens, a move its military government says will strengthen ties across the continent and promote trade, tourism and cultural exchange.
“From now on, any citizen from an African country wishing to go to Burkina Faso will not pay any amount to cover visa fees,” said Security Minister Mahamadou Sana after a cabinet meeting chaired by junta leader Capt. Ibrahim Traoré on Thursday.
Travellers will still need to apply online for clearance before entry, but the government insists the process will be simpler and cheaper.
Burkina Faso now joins Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya, which in recent years have all opened their borders more widely to fellow Africans. The African Union has long pushed for easier travel across the continent, arguing that Africans too often face more restrictions than visitors from outside the region.
Capt. Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup, has cast himself as a voice for Pan-African unity while railing against former colonial powers. Supporters describe him as a fresh, fearless leader. Critics point to his heavy-handed rule, suppression of dissent and a worsening security crisis.
The West African nation remains in the grip of a jihadist insurgency, with roughly 40 per cent of its territory outside state control. Violence continues despite the junta’s promises to restore security and its deepening partnership with Russia.
In a statement, the government said the visa reform “reflects Burkina Faso’s attachment to Pan-Africanist ideals and promotes regional integration.” It added that the change could boost tourism and “improve Burkina Faso’s visibility abroad.”
Whether the policy will bring the country closer to its neighbours is less certain. Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, broke away from the regional bloc Ecowas earlier this year, accusing it of bowing to Western influence. The three states have since formed a new alliance and cut ties with France, their former colonial ruler.
For now, the visa waiver underlines a wider ambition: to position Burkina Faso as part of a continent looking inward for strength, even as conflict at home shows little sign of abating.
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