Ezulwini – Senator Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa of the Zimbabwean parliament made a speech at the Ezulwini Palazzo ICC in Eswatini this week calling for the enforcement of the freedom of movement protocol to allow people in Africa to move without the need of visa.
She spoke during the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly session, supporting her submission that opportunities for education and jobs for Africans remain but are still hampered by mobility blockades.
Her speech said the Africa EU partnership can be mutually beneficial. She said while the EU population was aging 20% of its population being under the age of 20, Africa’s population is young and growing, with about 40% of Africans under the age of 15. 
“This means we must give our young people the tools to succeed. Education that is relevant, skills that are practical and opportunities to move, learn and work. Education and mobility go hand-in-hand,” Mlotshwa said.
The freedom of movement within Africa is blocked by weak infrastructure, underfunded schools, Mlotshwa said, which are barriers that block job opportunities.
“That must change, and we must accelerate the Africa Union free movement protocol and align it with continental free trade area. We need to unlock the movement of skills and opportunities across Africa,” she said.
Mlotshwa said that programmes like Erasmus+ and the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Schemes are helping young people to study abroad, build confidence, and connect globally.
However, she said, scholarships are limited, visas are costly, forcing many graduates to remain abroad instead of bringing their knowledge back home.
“So, here lies our responsibility as parliamentarians. We must facilitate and make mobility easier, simplify visas, recognize qualifications and align education systems. We must invest in schools that prepare students for real jobs and we must manage mobility wisely.
“So, it’s the strength of both Africa and Europe, not one at the expense of the other. Above all, we must put young people at the center of our decisions because if we give them the chance to learn, to move and to contribute. They will build a future that is fair, forward-looking, and full of promise for Africa and for Europe and for the world,” she said.
