In contrast to the United Kingdom’s decision to exit the European Union this summer, The African Union (AU) has moved further toward the free cross-border movement of goods and people with the launch of the new pan-African passport.
The AU will initially issue the new biometric or electronic passport only to African heads of state, foreign ministers and diplomats accredited by the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It will bear the AU’s name and that of the issuing country. The plan is for African governments to roll it out to their citizens by 2018.