Mozambique starts visa exemption talks with Uganda

The Ugandan government has started visa exemption talks with Mozambique, a development which would allow citizens of both African countries to travel between the two states without requiring a visa.

This follows a formal request from the Mozambican government during the second Joint Permanent Commission in Kampala on Monday, where delegates from Maputo submitted their proposals.

The first meeting hinting on the exemption was held in 1987.

"They have proposed a visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, official, and honorary passports. This proposal is being reviewed by our legal experts, and if accepted by the Ugandan government, it will be a great step forward," said Godfrey Kambere, Commissioner of Immigration Control.

He added: "Our colleagues from Mozambique currently pay $50 for a visa to come here, and they have expressed that, as fellow Africans, these payments should be removed."

If Uganda approves the proposals, Mozambique will join other countries including Angola, Kenya, Botswana, Ireland, South Sudan, Malawi, Malaysia, and Comoros, where nationals are exempt from paying a $50 visa fee (approximately shs185,000).

"Currently, the number of Mozambicans coming to Uganda is small, but this agreement is a great opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and boost trade," Kambere observed.

Head of Mozambican delegation Hermenegildo Caetano said the meeting was a great opportunity for both countries.

"The first session of the Joint Permanent Commission was held 34 years ago," Caetano emphasized.

According to the Mozambican authorities, “visa exemption aligns with broader efforts across Africa to enhance regional integration, particularly under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the African Union's Agenda 2063, which promotes easier mobility across African borders.”

Uganda's Ambassador to Mozambique, Gen Fred Mwesigye, said more work is needed to strengthen trade and other forms of cooperation.

"Both countries have a shared history. Many Ugandans were trained in Mozambique in 1976 under FRONASA, thanks to FRELIMO. It is from that bond that our relationship was forged. However, we need to further cement this relationship to see tangible benefits that will enhance the economic, political, and social cooperation between our countries," Mwesigye said.

He added: "Politically, we are united, but economically, we have yet to fully realize the potential. We want to see Ugandans trade directly and easily with their brothers and sisters from Mozambique and vice versa."

Background

Formal bilateral relations between the two nations began with the establishment of the Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) Framework in 1987, followed by the First Session of the JPC in Maputo in 1988.

In 2018, a Framework Agreement on Cooperation between Uganda and Mozambique was concluded and signed in Maputo. To further strengthen these relations, President Museveni visited Maputo in 2018, and in 2022, Uganda reciprocated by welcoming his counterpart Filipe Jacinto Nyusi to Kampala.