From next month, nationals of Kenya and Benin will be able to travel to each
other’s countries visa-free, following a new bilateral agreement.
The deal was signed on the sidelines of the
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York between Prime Cabinet
Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia
Mudavadi, and Benin’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari.
Under the agreement, citizens of both countries can visit for up to 180 days without a visa, although the waiver does not allow them to work.
After the six-month period, travelers will be required to obtain
visas in accordance with the host country’s immigration laws.
However, the agreement stipulates that
nationals holding valid diplomatic, official, service, or ordinary passports
who are appointed to diplomatic or consular missions, along with their
families, will still be required to obtain visas before entering the other
country.
Bakari hailed the deal as a strong step towards African integration.
“I want to appreciate you (Dr. Mudavadi) and commend President Ruto on the move.
The waiver means that we are integrating the citizens of Africa and helping our
youth take advantage of opportunities in Africa. It is a strong message,” he
said.
After signing the agreement, Mudavadi also
held a bilateral meeting with Yvan Gil Pinto, Minister of People’s Power for
Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Pinto reaffirmed Venezuela’s commitment to
strengthening ties with Africa, noting that more than half of Venezuela’s
population has African heritage.
“Fifty-seven percent of our population is African. The late President Hugo
Chávez always told us to be strategic with Africa because it is the future. We
want to make progress and sign the pending agreements between the two
countries,” Pinto said.
He revealed that pending agreements with Kenya
cover tourism, agriculture, and education, stressing that Venezuela is keen to
move forward in all areas of cooperation.
Mudavadi welcomed the commitment, pledging to push progress during upcoming meetings in Brazil and Nairobi.
“We can use this opportunity to sign one or two Memorandums of Understanding,”
he said, reiterating Kenya’s respect for multilateralism and the United
Nations.
Mudavadi’s comments came in response to Pinto’s remarks on the ongoing tensions between Venezuela and the United States over alleged drug trafficking.
“The fight against drug trafficking should be within the confines of the law,”
Pinto emphasized.
