African Union’s Single Passport and Free Movement: The Challenges

Abstract

This study interrogates the African Union (AU) Single Passport framework for the free movement of people, goods and services within the African continent and its challenges. The research relied on data obtained from secondary sources such as academic journals, books and official reports. Documentary research techniques was also utilized for analysis. It was explained from the context of the Regional Economic Integration Theory that the Single Passport was aimed at deepening Africa’s Integration by creating a single market. The study established that AU Single Passport has potentials to boast intra-trade relations among African countries which would serve as a vehicle for Africa’s socio-economic development. However, this work confirms the challenge of political instability and insecurity like the evolving complexities of hybrid and asymmetric threats like terrorism, transnational organised crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering and piracy, small arms proliferation, illicit mineral extraction and wildlife poaching, oil and counterfeit goods, advanced fee and internet fraud, illegal manufacture of firearms, armed robbery, and theft. To realize the potentials of the AU Passport, the paper recommended that, the AU countries should ensure joint border patrol; deepening of internal democracy; increasing public funding for rapid infrastructural development.