Issuing Visa On Arrival Commendable, Says BFTU

Correspondent | Monday November 26, 2018 14:10

 

On August 20, 2018, during a meeting we held with the His Excellency Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi we had submitted the same recommendation to the President for consideration.

This decision will go a long way to boost tourism, stimulate the economy through the import of revenue, ideas, innovations, talents and skills, as well as cultural dynamism. The decision goes to show and reinforces Botswana’s commitment to the integration of Africa. BFTU as a member of the African Trade Union Migration Network (ATUMNET) has been  championing this cause for an improved integrated Africa under her “Visa Open Africa”  campaign.

This campaign was developed to achieve the implementation of the July 2015  Johannesburg AU Heads of State Summit declaration on “Migration and Development”,  which amongst other laudable positions stated that the Member States shall work towards  the realisation of visa on arrival for all persons bearing African passports. Botswana by this declaration has met this timeline and we commend this move.  We wish to reiterate that migration is not a problem and that the criminalisation of  migration must cease.

Rather, we strongly urge the government to continue to work with relevant stakeholders  and within national and international laws to advance effective migration governance  without infractions to the rights of migrants and members of their families.  Migration when effectively managed has and will continue to deliver benefits to the receiving, transit and sending countries as well as to the migrants

*Thusang Butale

BFTU Secretary General