Mubasher: The African Union (AU) has announced plans to issue an African passport to promote trade and free movement of people within the continent.

Further details on the design, production, and issuance of the new African passport will be unveiled at the 32nd Summit of the AU in February, chairperson of the African Union Moussa Faki Mahamat said in a statement.

The step aims to unify all Africans and encourage their movement within the continent, as well as empowering countries with weak passports.

An African passport will enable citizens from countries such as South Sudan who require a visa to visit 48 countries in Africa to travel freely on the continent.

Only two countries in Africa, Seychelles and Benin, offer visa-free travel to all the countries on the continent.

The passport idea was first introduced in 2016 for heads of African states and now it is extending to the citizens.