KIGALI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A meeting on free movement of people in Africa kicked off in Rwanda's capital city Kigali on Tuesday, where experts from the African Union (AU) member states will discuss the draft protocol on free movement of people in the continent.
The four-day meeting also drew senior government officials from AU member states who provide observations and recommendations on the draft of the protocol and its implementation framework. The draft protocol will be discussed and adopted by AU Heads of State and Governments during the AU summit in January 2018.
"The benefits of liberalizing movement across the continent outweigh the potential security and economic challenges that may be generated as a result," said Katyen Jackden, the chairperson of the AU committee of the free movement of persons in Africa. She called for a phased approach since different countries are at different stages of readiness.
Free movement of people in Africa is a fundamental pillar for the continental integration process. The AU's initiative to draft the protocol on free movement of persons in Africa is a major step in the materialization of the African vision on free movement of persons.
