Diplomats Laud Ethiopia’s "Bold Move" to Start Issuing Visa-on-Arrival

Addis Ababa October 08//2018 Diplomats have lauded Ethiopia’s decision to start issuing visa-on-arrival as a step towards facilitating the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement. Some diplomats, who attended the joint opening session of the House of People’s Representatives and House of Federation today, said “it is a bold move.” Ugandan Deputy Head of Mission to Ethiopia, Ambassador Idule Amoko said the move announced by President Mulatu Teshome will bring Africans closer. “Addis is the capital city of Africa, so it is important that it opens up to the rest of Africa,” he added. Recalling that all African countries had been urged to open up their borders, Ambassador Amoko said “it is important for countries to start implementing and facilitating continental integration.” In his speech the president said “Ethiopia, as a seat of the continental union, will be implementing visa-on arrival. This facilitates the economic integration by pushing tourist flow to a higher level, particularly conference tourism.” Hungarian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Gabor Sagi said on his part that it is a very bold initiative for the free movement of people. Mentioning that the European Union has such agreements that are also the essence of European countries development, Ambassador Sagi noted that “this is the engine of economic development.”