By Hamza Kyeyune
KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Uganda signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mozambique on Thursday to allow nationals of both countries to travel between the two states without a visa.
The move adds Mozambique to a list of countries, that includes Angola, Kenya, Botswana, Ireland, South Sudan, Malawi, Malaysia, and Comoros, where nationals are exempt from paying a $50 visa fee.
It follows a request from the Mozambican government during the second session of the Joint Permanent Commission meeting in Kampala between the two countries.
Ugandan Foreign Minister John Mulimba said the move will propel travel and trade.
“Trade is all about the movement of goods and people. If you restrict the movement of people, then the goods won’t reach the destination. Therefore, the removal of the visa requirement is a stimulant. This move will also ensure the transfer of expertise between the two countries and that will spur economic transformation,” he said.
Ugandan Ambassador to Mozambique, Gen. Fred Mwesigye, said the visa exemption aligns with broader efforts across Africa to enhance regional integration, particularly under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the African Union's Agenda 2063, which promotes easier mobility across African borders.
Several African countries have been advocating for the exemption of visas for fellow countries on the continent as a way of stimulating trade among themselves.