Rwanda and The Gambia have emerged as continent-leading examples of border openness in the latest Africa Visa Openness reporting, while Sudan’s multi-year conflict continues to deepen into what humanitarian agencies now describe as the world’s worst current crisis. The two developments—one pointing to deliberate policy choices to attract people and investment, the other exposing catastrophic human suffering—together capture two contrasting realities shaping Africa in 2025.

Openness on the rise: Rwanda and The Gambia set the pace

Rwanda and The Gambia top the 2025 Africa Visa Openness Index, a measure produced in partnership with African institutions to track how national visa policies either facilitate or impede travel, trade and tourism across the continent. The report shows both countries sustaining policies that reduce administrative friction—visa-free regimes, visa-on-arrival and streamlined e-visa systems—that make entry easier for visitors and business travellers.

Policy makers in Kigali and Banjul have repeatedly framed visa liberalization as an economic and soft-power tool. In Rwanda’s case, the government has leveraged a visa-free regime and investment-friendly messaging to cultivate tourism, conferences and regional integration since 2019; The Gambia’s compact geography and targeted visa waivers have similarly boosted arrivals and positioned the country as an accessible holiday and business destination.

Analysts say the benefits extend beyond short-term tourist receipts. Easier cross-border movement lowers transaction costs for small businesses, facilitates attendance at regional trade fairs, and supports the development of services sectors such as conventions, aviation and hospitality. For smaller economies, the economic case for openness can be especially compelling.

Modernizing access: e-visas and government digitalization

The 2025 findings highlight the rapid growth of digital travel tools—e-visas and electronic travel authorizations (ETAs)—which allow governments to preserve border controls while reducing delays for bona fide travellers. Kenya, for example, moved up the rankings following updates that expanded ETA exemptions; other countries are using digital platforms to automate checks, speed processing, and gather data for planning. The shift is not merely technical: it signals a policy orientation toward services and trade facilitation.

However, the report cautions that openness is uneven. Several countries that would benefit from tourism and investment remain constrained by reciprocal visas, security concerns, or limited digital capacity. The index calls for complementary investments—air connectivity, visa interoperability among regional blocs, and strengthened migration management—to translate openness into measurable economic gains.

Strategic gains—and hard choices—for policy makers

Decision makers face trade-offs. Easing access can expose weak customs and migration systems to new pressures and requires improved border infrastructure and training. But governments cited in the report stress that the alternative—restrictive entry regimes—risks isolating economies and missing growth opportunities as intra-African travel expands under AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) frameworks.

For private sector actors, visa liberalization is a signal. Travel consultants, airlines and hotel chains factor visa ease into route planning and investment decisions; a clearer, predictable policy environment reduces the cost of doing business and raises the chance that tourists and investors choose a particular market over a regional rival.

In stark contrast: Sudan’s humanitarian catastrophe

While some African states compete to welcome more visitors, Sudan remains trapped in a catastrophic humanitarian emergency. International agencies and watchdogs now describe the situation there as among the worst—if not the worst—humanitarian crises worldwide. Years of conflict have displaced millions, disrupted markets, and driven levels of hunger, disease and protection needs that outstrip the response capacity on the ground.

UN agencies report that tens of millions of people across Sudan and in neighbouring countries require assistance; famine has been confirmed in parts of the country and large numbers of internally displaced persons face dangerous conditions in camps and informal sites. Humanitarian operations are hampered by access constraints, insecurity, and funding shortfalls.

Regional ripple effects: displacement, borders and politics

Sudan’s collapse has spilled across borders. Millions of refugees have fled to Chad, South Sudan, Egypt and other states, straining resources in host communities and creating complex protection and coordination challenges. The crisis has also raised geopolitical tensions as regional bodies and foreign powers jostle to influence outcomes and secure corridors for humanitarian relief.

The scale of displacement has complicated the visa-openness conversation in neighbouring states: while openness supports mobility for commerce and tourism, the region must now reconcile humanitarian protection needs with border management capacities. Countries hosting refugees are balancing generosity with the fiscal and social costs of prolonged displacement.

The moral and operational imperatives for donors and governments

Humanitarian actors warn that without sustained and scaled funding, life-saving services will collapse. Reports point to critical shortfalls in food, health, shelter and water-sanitation programs. Donors face difficult choices amid competing global crises, but the consensus among agencies is clear: the scale of the emergency requires an immediate, well-resourced response and political pressure to expand humanitarian access across conflict lines.

The humanitarian imperative also coincides with longer-term development risks. Protracted displacement erodes human capital, damages livelihoods and delays recovery. Countries in the Sahel and Horn already wrestling with climate shocks and fragile governance now confront additional instability that can hinder regional economic integration and trade—precisely the gains visa openness seeks to unlock.

Policy implications: two agendas that must coexist

The visa openness agenda and the humanitarian response in Sudan are not unrelated. Policy coherence is required at regional and continental levels: while open borders and simplified travel can catalyse economic growth and integration, institutions and donors must also invest in crisis preparedness, cross-border protection systems, and scalable social services that absorb shocks. The AfCFTA and AU frameworks offer platforms for such coordination—but only if political will and resources follow.

For countries leading on openness, there is an opportunity to show leadership beyond tourism: by harmonizing refugee admission procedures, offering pathways for temporary labour, and contributing to regional response mechanisms, visa-open states can help buffer neighbouring crises while preserving the economic gains of liberalized travel.

• Policy follow-through: Will countries that topped the openness index maintain reforms and invest in air and digital connectivity to turn access into measurable growth?

• Humanitarian funding: Whether donors scale up support for Sudan will determine whether famine and displacement can be contained.

• Regional coordination: The AU, regional economic communities and multilateral banks have roles to play in aligning mobility, trade and crisis response.

• Migration governance: Improved data, interoperable e-visa systems and regional migration frameworks will be key to balancing mobility with security.

The 2025 snapshot of Africa’s border policies and humanitarian needs lays bare a continent of contrasts. Rwanda and The Gambia’s leadership on visa openness points to an agenda of connectivity, jobs and tourism-led growth. Sudan’s tragedy reminds policy makers, donors and publics that openness must be accompanied by robust systems to absorb shocks, protect civilians and sustain regional stability. How African governments—and their partners—manage both agendas will shape economic and human outcomes for millions in the years ahead.