Southern African nations are taking significant steps to enhance regional tourism by planning to expand the special univisa system, which currently allows travellers to easily move between Zambia and Zimbabwe, with limited access into Botswana. This initiative involves Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, all part of the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area.

During a recent summit in Livingstone, Zambia, regional leaders including Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Botswana Vice President Slumber

Tsogwane voiced strong support for extending the univisa to include all member states of the conservation area and possibly the broader Southern African economic bloc. The expanded visa system aims to simplify entry procedures, reduce travel barriers, and ultimately attract more visitors to the region.

The univisa currently facilitates tourism and day trips particularly through the Kazungula border, helping to enhance the visitor experience in these wildlife-rich countries. By broadening this initiative, the KAZA nations hope to significantly boost tourist arrivals, furthering economic growth and regional integration.

In addition to visa expansion, the summit also addressed wildlife conservation issues, with a unified call to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to reconsider the ban on the trade of elephants and ivory. The KAZA member states argue that lifting the ban could enable them to better fund conservation efforts through the trade of their substantial ivory stockpiles, valued at approximately USD 1 billion.

The commitment to expand the univisa is seen as a crucial step in making Southern Africa more accessible and appealing to international tourists, promising a substantial impact on the region’s tourism industry and economic development.