-OpEd-
DAKAR — In 2023, Africans lost 56.3 million euros due to rejected Schengen visa applications, paying European authorities an amount equivalent to the cost of 225 Ferrari 488 GTB cars without the benefit of free movement in exchange, according to the Moroccan online news website Hespress.
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This colossal sum, stemming from 704,000 non-refundable applications, reveals an alarming dynamic of disparities and restrictions that mainly affect Africans, who account for 43% of all rejected visa applications for non-Europeans to the Schengen area (a passport-free travel space of 29 European countries).
The discrimination is glaring, especially toward Algerians and Moroccans, the two most impacted nationalities. Algerians saw 166,260 of their applications rejected, representing 35.07% of all their requests, while Moroccans suffered 136,367 refusals, accounting for 8.3% of their total applications in 2023.
The high rejection rate
The fees associated with these processes represent more than a third of the average salary in Algeria, highlighting a significant economic loss for individuals and communities.
The situation is worsened by illegal intermediaries exploiting the high demand for visa appointments, charging up to 500 euros for a booking. This illegal and unregulated financial windfall escapes all control and adds another layer of injustice to the process.
Beyond Algerians and Moroccans, other African nations also experience high rejection rates, with losses ranging from 1 million to 3.7 million euros for countries including Egypt, Nigeria, and Tunisia. This phenomenon is not just a matter of numbers, but a real impediment to mobility and a barrier to opportunities for these populations.
A symbolic powerful alternative
In light of these inequalities, it is time for the African Union to react and propose a symbolic but powerful alternative: the “Addis Ababa” visa. This visa, inspired by the Schengen model, would not be a tool to restrict the movement of people and goods, but a means to show Western countries the discrimination faced by their African neighbors and to encourage them to commit to fair and equal mobility rules.
It is time to recognize that the free movement of people must be a shared right.
The introduction of such a visa by the African Union could not only draw attention to these disparities but also prompt a global reflection on visa policies and their impacts. It is time to recognize that the free movement of people must be a shared right, respecting the dignity and aspirations of all, beyond economic and geographical borders.
In the spirit of liberalism, let’s open the doors to equitable mobility. This is a golden opportunity for the African Union to take the lead in reforming international travel and visa standards. Such a gesture would be a step toward a world where human rights and social justice guide the laws of international mobility.
