Both nations have received praise from the East African Community for removing travel restrictions on the DR Congo.

The East African Community (EAC) applauded Tanzania’s and Kenya’s decisions to waive their respective visa requirements for DRC citizens in a news release issued on Friday. On August 25 and September 1, the requirements were cancelled, respectively.

People from the Democratic Republic of the Congo can now travel freely to Kenya and Tanzania, according to Dr. Peter Mathuki, secretary general of the EAC, who also noted that the action complies with the EAC Common Market Protocol, which allows unrestricted movement of people and workers throughout the region.

According to Dr. Mathuki, “free movement of people will foster the free movement of goods, labour, culture, and domestic tourism in East and Central Africa in addition to enhancing intra-regional trade.” The removal of visa requirements, in his opinion, is “a positive step towards consolidating.”

The DR Congo became the seventh partner state of the EAC last year. Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania are the other partner countries.

In the meanwhile, the DR Congo’s Directorate General of Migration has reciprocated by declaring that beginning of September 1 visitors from Kenya are no longer need to have a visa.

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The Kenya Coast Tourism Association’s Victor Shitaka, speaking to RT on Friday, praised the revocation of visas as “fantastic for the tourism industry.” Additionally, he claimed that as the practise of reducing visa requirements continues in the area, trade would become easier throughout Africa.