Visa restrictions to ease as SA, Rwanda reset relations

Lamola

Pretoria – South Africa and Rwanda have agreed to begin normalising relations and easing travel and trade restrictions, marking a significant breakthrough 12 years after diplomatic tensions strained ties between the two countries.

The agreement was announced following talks in Pretoria between International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe.

The two countries pledged to strengthen cooperation in trade, tourism, health, education, security and investment while working to restore full diplomatic relations.

A key outcome of the meeting was progress toward lifting restrictions on ordinary Rwandan passports, which currently require special arrangements for entry into South Africa.

Lamola said Pretoria was taking steps to normalise visa arrangements and expected the restrictions to be removed as South Africa reforms its immigration and visa systems.

“As South Africa fine-tunes its immigration laws and visa regulations, we also follow with keen interest the enormous strides Rwanda has made in modernising its visa regime, which continues to remain attractive for various categories of visas, including… visa-free and visa on arrival dispensation

“It is also against this background that this meeting will also take steps towards enabling us to lift the ban with regard to the Rwandan ordinary passports into South Africa,” Lamola said.

Rwanda’s modern visa regime, including visa-free and visa-on-arrival policies, was highlighted as a model for facilitating mobility across Africa.

The countries also agreed to relaunch their Joint Commission on Cooperation, which is scheduled to meet in Kigali during the first quarter of 2027.

Rwanda further agreed to lift a ban on South African agricultural products imposed during South Africa’s 2017 listeriosis outbreak, a move expected to boost bilateral and continental trade.

Relations between Pretoria and Kigali deteriorated in 2014 following a diplomatic dispute linked to attacks on Rwandan dissidents living in South Africa, leading to expulsions of diplomats and travel restrictions.

More recently, tensions resurfaced over South Africa’s military deployment in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with Rwandan President Paul Kagame criticising Pretoria’s role in the conflict.

Despite these disagreements, both ministers stressed the historical bonds between the two nations.

Lamola said South Africa and Rwanda share experiences of overcoming painful pasts, including apartheid and the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, and are united by the principles of African solidarity and Pan-Africanism.

Nduhungirehe thanked South Africa for its support during Rwanda’s post-genocide reconstruction, particularly through educational opportunities, healthcare cooperation and investment.

He described the latest discussions as producing concrete outcomes that would strengthen bilateral relations and contribute to regional stability.

The rapprochement signals a renewed commitment by both countries to rebuild trust, expand economic ties and restore easier movement between their citizens after more than a decade of strained relations.

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