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Morocco and Togo recently agreed on the free movement of their citizens between the two countries. From now on, there is no longer any need for a visa to travel in one direction or the other.
During a meeting held in Rabat on July 21, the two representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Togo and Morocco concluded an agreement which provides for the free movement of citizens between the two countries without the need for visas. The agreement had been anticipated at the Ministerial Meeting of Atlantic African States, which had taken place in Rabat two weeks earlier. This bilateral agreement which provides for the mutual exemption of entry visas is part of a policy according to which Morocco and Togo are working to strengthen relations between the two countries. In the words of the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Nasser Bourita, the signing of this agreement “reflects the quality of human relations between the two countries”.
Robert Dussey, Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Togolese Abroad, shared the news with Togolese citizens using the Twitter platform saying:
“Dear fellow citizens, I am delighted to announce to you on behalf of the PR, President Faure Gnassingbé, that from this day, July 21, all Togolese holders of the ordinary passport of our country can enter and leave Morocco without a visa. Long live Togo, and long live Morocco.
Other relations between Morocco and Togo
Other initiatives are also taken by these countries to try to strengthen their bilateral relations. Also on July 21, the two Foreign Ministers traveled to Dakhla to inaugurate the opening of a Togolese consulate in Morocco. The establishment of this consulate in such an area might constitute a confirmation of the strong support that Togo has always given to Morocco in its sovereignty over Western Sahara. In June this year, Togo had already expressed its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity over Western Sahara, declaring that the Autonomy Plan presented by the Cherifian kingdom constitutes “the one and only credible and realistic solution to the resolution of this dispute”.
The rise of electronic visas in Africa
More and more African countries are taking steps to offer travelers their own electronic visa (e-visa). Recently, Morocco and Togo have also launched their own electronic visa system and today more than half of African countries offer this service. This type of visa has significant advantages for travelers in terms of cost, ease of application and time to issue. For apply for an electronic Kenya visafor example, just fill in a online form and download certain documents. The visa is then granted within approximately one week.