Kenya considering abolishing all visa requirements - President Ruto

Kenya is considering abolishing visa requirements for all foreign nationals, President William Ruto announced on Monday.

Addressing Africa Climate Summit delegates at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Ruto termed it unfair to require visas from “anybody coming home”.

“We are having a conversation as Kenyans that in a few months, we are seriously considering abolishing any visa requirements because it is unfair to ask anybody coming home for a visa,” the president said.

Indonesia is the most recent country Kenya has lifted visa requirements for its nationals. Ruto announced that Kenya had lifted visa restrictions on Indonesian passport holders after bilateral talks with the Southeast Asian country’s leader Joko Widodo on August 21.

This made Indonesia join Senegal and Congo as the countries Kenya has visa-free agreements with in recent months. Comoros is also set to begin a similar agreement with Kenya by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the inaugural Africa Climate Summit goes on until Wednesday under the theme "Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World."

The convention was organized by the African Union Commission in collaboration with Kenya and is set to give African nations the chance to develop specific plans, design corresponding resources and investments, push for changes in the global financial system, share knowledge and workable solutions, and update Africa's development and climate vision.

Ruto on Monday thanked leaders across the continent for heeding the call for a climate summit, terming it “an entry into a future driven by partnerships committed to African prosperity inclusive of growth and a liveable planet for all of us.”

Over 20 current and former heads of state are among the 30,000 delegates in Nairobi for the summit.

Other high-level delegations in attendance include US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and top USAID officials.