 Do the benefits of free movement in Africa outweigh security threats? Securitization of migration is often demonstrated through enhancing border controls, tightening visa policies, and population profiling, among others. Some of Africa's upper-middle-income countries tend to follow stricter visa rules towards African travelers. The securitization of migration that leads to restrictions of overall movement of Africans within Africa ultimately impacts the expansion of Africa's free movement of persons agenda. The free movement of persons is a major component of Africa's integration agenda. It aspires to build an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens representing a dynamic force in the international arena. In Africa, the regional economic communities, such as the economic community of West African states, and East African communities have achieved significant reciprocal open visa policies between the respective member states in favor of implementing the free movement of persons agenda. These have led to a decrease in the number of African countries that require visas for African travelers. A third of African states follow liberal visa policies. However, the African Development Bank's visa openness highlights that Africans still need visas to travel to 51% of other African countries. As of February 2020, the free movement of persons protocol was ratified by only four countries out of the required 15 countries. Speaking to the reluctance of member states in easing of Africans to move within Africa, different reasons are given to the increased securitization of migration within Africa that directly concerns the expansion of the free movement of persons agenda. These include Africa's existing security environment, porous borders, absence of harmonized travel documents, lack of policy harmonization by member states, lack of capacity and appropriate infrastructure for border management, and information paucity on the protocol of free movement of persons. African countries have implemented free movement regimes such as Benin, Ghana, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Seychelles, indicating no direct link with exposure to security threats. In fact, experience shows that the benefits of free movement regimes outweigh security threats, while contributing towards labor mobility and skills technology transfer among African citizens, leading to the adoption of a comprehensive approach to border management. Cherundu, a border point established in 2009 between Zambia and Zimbabwe, has managed to facilitate the movement of people in goods while ensuring effective revenue collection and enhanced public security. It has also reduced border crossing time and facilitated better information, while sharing simplified trade regimes through the establishment of trade information desks at selected border areas. To better implement Africa's free movement of persons agenda, the following should be considered, enhancing coordination to address transnational security threats, shaping African citizens' perceptions of free movement, and tracking progress of implementation in order to enhance cooperation with partners. Learn more about migration and security in the Africa Migration Report.