In a major development, Sierra Leone’s passport has claimed the prestigious title of the most powerful passport within the Mano River Union (MRU) countries.
This remarkable achievement was officially unveiled by the Henley Passport Index in its latest report released this week.
The report highlights Sierra Leone’s impressive ascent in passport rankings, as it climbed an impressive 10 places to secure the 74th position in 2023, compared to its previous standing at 83 in 2022. This remarkable progress reflects the country’s increasing global influence and improved international relations.
The Henley Passport Index is an authoritative global ranking that takes into account exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It measures the freedom of travel for citizens holding ordinary passports of different countries.
A total of 199 countries are meticulously ranked based on the number of countries their passport holders can visit without the need for a visa or the availability of visa-on-arrival options. The higher the “visa-free score” of a passport, the more countries its citizens can access hassle-free.
Within the West African region, Sierra Leone stands proudly as the second-highest ranked passport, following The Gambia, which holds the impressive 72nd position globally.
Among the MRU nations, Cote d’Ivoire’s passport secures the second spot with a ranking of 79, closely followed by Guinea’s passport at 80, while the Liberian passport holds the final position at 87.
Henley and Partners, the publisher of the report, commented that the disparity in global mobility between the top and bottom of the index has reached an unprecedented level. Notably, top-ranking Singapore enjoys access to a staggering 165 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, underscoring the significance of passport strength in international travel.
Apart from the Henley Passport Index, the organization also releases the Henley Openness Index, which evaluates countries based on the number of nations that allow visa-free passage or visa-on-arrival to their citizens. Interestingly, numerous African countries dominate this index.
In Africa, Sierra Leone is ranked 28th, with its citizens able to visit 113 out of 198 countries without a visa or with visa-on-arrival access. In comparison, both Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea share the 84th position, with only 23 countries extending similar privileges to their citizens.
Sierra Leone’s impressive passport ranking reflects its commitment to fostering international relationships and boosting travel opportunities for its citizens.
As the nation continues to strengthen its diplomatic ties and global standing, this milestone achievement is likely to pave the way for increased economic and cultural exchange on the global stage.
