East Africa: Kiir declares free visa entry

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The move is expected to spur the involvement and transactions between South Sudan and other five EAC member states that are already pushing for major integration and development projects under the Northern Corridor region, of which South Sudan is one of the latest entrants.

Other EAC member states have not been charging visa fees for any of the community members and the travel documents and requirements have been made easy with only one needing to present their national ID, to travel in the EAC region. "That is the way to go full-fledged federation in infrastructure and then political," said Pastor Samuel N. Kimani of Kenya.

At the ninth Northern Corridor Integration Projects Summit East African heads of state have commended achievements made under the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) initiative and advocated for faster integration of the region to bring about prosperity.

"The heads of state noted with appreciation the progress in the implementation of the various projects under the Northern Corridor Initiative, and reiterated their collective resolve to continuously work together in pursuit of the set vision and goals of fast-tracking the integration process, for the benefit of the citizenry of the Northern Corridor Region," the presidents said in a final communiqué issued after the summit.