Uwizeye was speaking Tuesday in a consultative meeting with senators on Continental Free Trade Area and protocol to the treaty establishing the African Economic Community relating to Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment.
She said that currently, a total of 31 countries have signed the protocol and ratification process continues.
Uwizeye explained that currently, member countries are discussing on use of common passport as primary achievement in the protocol implementation.
“Member states are discussing on formula and content of African Passport so that countries will start producing and issuing them to their people,” she explained.
The implementation process will be facilitated by the African Union Commission (AUC) for effective success.
On Rwanda’s side, Uwizeye said that people will start using the passport in January 2019.
“We expect that in January 2019, this passport will be issued and I mention this particularly to our country,” she said.
Uwizeye said that in July, the last conference to decide on the passport will take place in Nairobi, Kenya.
The African Union Passport is a common passport document that is set to replace existing nationally-issued African Union member state passports and exempt bearers from having to obtain any visas for all 55 states in Africa.
Initially, it was launched on July 17th, 2016 at the 27th Ordinary Session of the African Union that was held in Kigali in Rwanda by the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame and Chadian President Idris Deby.
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