APN, Ethiopian Airlines Discuss Borderless Africa Push

The Africa Prosperity Network (APN) and Ethiopian Airlines have held high-level talks in Addis Ababa aimed at strengthening cooperation to advance the continent-wide Make Africa Borderless Now! campaign.

The meeting, held at the airline’s headquarters on February 19, focused on practical ways to promote the free movement of people, goods, and services across Africa. Both sides described the discussions as positive and a step toward accelerating implementation of key African integration frameworks.

The initiative seeks to encourage African governments to operationalize long-adopted but slowly implemented agreements, including the Free Movement of Persons Protocol and the Single African Air Transport Market framework, both adopted in 2018.

During the talks, air connectivity was identified as a central pillar for unlocking the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). APN invited the continent’s largest airline to become a major partner in the movement launched earlier this month in Accra, which aims to mobilize 10 million signatures in support of visa-free travel and deeper economic integration.

Mesfin Tasew, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, voiced strong backing for the initiative, noting that visa barriers continue to constrain Africa’s growth. He stressed that while security concerns are often cited, alternative mechanisms can ensure safety without restricting mobility.

“Visa is an obstacle to travel,” he said, adding that increased movement would stimulate tourism, investment flows, and trade across the continent. He acknowledged that a fully borderless Africa will take time but said progress can be accelerated through coordinated efforts.

For his part, APN Executive Chairman Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko emphasized the importance of enabling continent-wide mobile money interoperability. He urged African central banks and regulators to allow seamless cross-border digital payments to support trade and entrepreneurship.

Addressing security concerns, Otchere-Darko pointed to existing models such as ECOWAS biometric passports and Rwanda’s visa-free policy for African travelers as proof that mobility and security can coexist.

He also highlighted slow progress on the Free Movement Protocol, noting that only four countries have signed so far—well short of the 15 required for ratification.