The passport was launched at the 27th AU Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda.

Holders of the new passport will be to travel to member states without a visa.

This project was agreed on in 2014, and the AU says it in line with its agenda 2063.

The passport will initially be available to heads of state, AU officials, and select national government officials.

There is no time frame for the union members to issue the passport to their citizens.

But Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, African Union Commission chairperson, says the body has agreed “to create the conditions for member states to issue the passport to their citizens, within their national policies, as and when they are ready."

Ghana, Rwanda Seychelles, and Mauritius are some of the countries which have taken the initiative by relaxing visa restrictions to enhance trade.