South Africa established an agreement with Rwanda to lift visa restrictions, a significant step toward normalising bilateral relations, with both countries agreeing to resume visa access for Rwandan ordinary passport holders within the next twelve months.
The decision was made on 17 June 2026 during a working visit by Rwandan Foreign Minister to Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the executive branch of government, where South Africa’s Minister Ronald Lamola and his Rwandan counterpart Olivier Nduhungirehe met to face this issue and where further steps to strengthen ties were discussed.
The Minister of South Africa confirmed that his country would move to lift its ban on Rwandan ordinary passports, citing Rwanda’s modernised visa regime, which includes visa - free and visa - on - arrival dispensations, as a model worth noting as South Africa reviews its own immigration framework.
The two ministers also agreed to relaunch the Joint Commission on Cooperation (JCC), scheduled to convene in the Rwandan capital Kigali in the first quarter of 2027, and confirmed that Rwanda had lifted its ban on South African agricultural produce, in place since the 2017 listeriosis outbreak.
Discussions also covered cooperation across education, health, security, tourism. and trade. The diplomatic reset follows a period of tension in 2025’s, when relations were strained over South Africa between ond ’s military deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both ministers emphasised that the bilateral bond between the two nations remains strong with Rwanda Foreign Minister describing it as “unbreakable.
Despite bilateral friction in the recent past, both countries maintain full diplomatic relations and are active members in major continental and international blocs, including the African Union and the Commonwealth of Nations. High levels talks between the two countries undoubtedly serve as the primary mechanism to manage differences and sustain positive momentum.
Link
https://atta.travel/resource/south-africa-and-rwanda-agree-to-lift-visa-restrictions.html
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks a lot to read and note.