The Ethiopian passport has fallen four places to 93 in global ranking since July last year, blamed on conflict in the country, The Henley Passport Index Report released on Wednesday shows the Ethiopia passport fell from 89th place in July 2023 to 93rd place in January 2024…
The Ugandan passport dropped one place from a global ranking of 72nd place to 73rd in the same period under review, while Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda did not move places at 67th, 69th and 76th respectively, While Rwanda’s ranking did not change, the number of countries its passport holders can travel visa-free rose from 63 to 66.
Holders of Kenya’s passport can travel to 76 countries without prior visa application, 47 countries for Ethiopians, 69 for Ugandans, and 73 for Tanzanians, Ethiopia has been rocked by violent internal conflict, involving militia groups from the regions of Amhara and Oromia and between the central government and those in the northernmost region of Tigray, then under the control of the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
In late 2023, the central government escalated its military operations in Amhara, while its peace talks with the largest Oromo militia collapsed for the third time, These increased conflicts have seen the passport’s index fall in the global mobility ranking, Visa-free travel opens up possibilities for easy movement, potentially boosting opportunities for tourism and business.
Dr Yossi Harpaz, an associate professor of sociology at Tel Aviv University, said in the report that the citizens of unstable, poorly developed, and autocratic countries have low travel freedom, This is because countries typically vet them before admission out of concern about unwanted immigration.
