Borderless Africa

Let our People Move:
Free Movement of African People in Africa

Sig the Petition

The Borderless Africa – Free Movement Campaign is a product of the All-African Movements Assembly (AAMA) held from 29-31 August 2022 in Arusha Tanzania, bringing together over 600 members of Africans Rising –  Pan-African social movements, activists, human rights defenders, advocates, and key stakeholders from 55 countries across the continent and the diaspora. 

The goal of the campaign is to achieve an Africa where Africans can move around their own continent without the current restrictions in place. For better trade, integration and development.

Campaign Objectives

  • The abolition of visa requirements for travel of Africans within Africa
  • Bring the AU protocol on free movement into force by getting at least 16 more countries to ratify it by 25th May 2023
  • Organize a continent-wide grassroots push for the mass roll out of the African passport
  • Give visibility to the linkage between Africans on the continent and global Africa 
  • facilitate trade among Africans through free movement of people and goods
  • National policymakers of 55 African states 
  • Embassies of African countries in diaspora
  • AU Commission and The Assembly of Heads of State and Government
  • Regional blocs (RECs/RMs)

Key campaign activities

People’s petition for free movement 

An online petition will be launched to collect signatures from African people across the world

Continuous Grassroot Movement Support

Working with grassroots movements to create local ownership 

Advocacy

A high level panel of influential people and others to champion the advocacy for the ratification of the AU protocol on free movement. 

Collaborations and partnerships

Beyond the movements and activists in the core of the campaign, we will build partnerships and collaborations with other organisations, media, social media influencers, think tanks and other civil society actors to push the campaign from all angles. 

Mass mobilization using African Liberation Week

African Liberation Week (Week of 25th May) is Africans Rising’s biggest annual mobilisation of members across the continent and the diaspora. We aim to use this large mobilisation platform to organise marches/demonstrations in African countries and diaspora to push for free movement.

Youth Caravan to AU headquarters

A youth caravan to physically present the People’s Petition for Free Movement to heads of states and governments at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa in 2023.

Expected Outcomes

We expect the following outcomes at the end of the campaign 

  • All the countries of Africa, members of the African Union, ratify the AU Protocol on Free Movement of African People 
  • Free movement is enforced throughout Africa 
  • African passport becomes a citizens’ passport and not just for diplomats 
  • African passport is made available to Africans in the diaspora