Uganda Abolishes Visa Requirement For DRC Citizens

Uganda has lifted visa requirements for Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) citizens visiting the country. This move will apparently be reciprocated by the DRC for Ugandans.

However, Ministry of Internal Affairs Simon Mundeyi told our news reporters that “starting January 1, 2024, Congolese nationals will come into Uganda without a requirement for a visa, and Ugandans will cross to the DRC without a need for a visa.”

Speaking on Monday, the spokesperson for the Internal Affairs Ministry said the decision to abolish the visa requirement for Congolese nationals followed the signing of the Treaty of Accession to join the East African bloc on July 11, 2022.

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“During the 8th joint permanent commission held between October 11 and 15 in Kinshasa, both parties agreed in principle to waive the visa requirement for citizens on a reciprocal basis. We have made this communication to our officers at the border points.”

However, this is with the exception of Somalia, which has just joined the bloc and whose protocols are not yet signed. The East African bloc now has eight countries.

This includes Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, South Sudan, Rwanda, the DRC, and the latest, Somalia. The abolishment of this requirement is expected to speed up the movement of people from these countries and also enhance trade.

In conclusion, last year, the Democratic Republic of the Congo joined the East African Community (EAC) as its seventh member. Additionally, the development means Ugandans can now access all countries in the East African Community.

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written by @enock katamba

enock katamba

Enock Katamba is a Ugandan Journalist and Founder of Uncovered UG, an independent digital news platform covering Uganda and international developments. He reports on politics, national affairs, entertainment, sports, business, education and other stories of public interest.

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