Angola plans to introduce a visa-free regime for G20 countries' nationals, in particular Russians, the bill is undergoing interdepartmental approval, Russian Ambassador Vladimir Tararov said.
In March, a diplomatic source told Sputnik that Angola and Russia could agree to simplify visa regulations at a meeting of the intergovernmental commission in April-May. Already in June, the ambassador of the African country in Moscow, Augusto da Silva Cunha, told Sputnik that Angola had simplified the process of obtaining tourist visas for Russians: they can now be issued online without visiting the embassy.
He added that simplification of other types of visas could be discussed at the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission.
"The draft law on visa-free entry into Angola for citizens of G20 countries, including Russia, is undergoing interdepartmental approval, after which it will be submitted to the Angolan parliament and approved. This initiative is a direct instruction from the country’s leadership. They need such a measure to develop their investment and tourism potential," a Russian newspaper quoted Tararov as saying.
The 18th G20 Summit is scheduled to be held on 9-10 September at the 'Bharat Mandapam' convention center in New Delhi. The forum will be attended by leadership-level delegations from the world’s top 20 economies, including 19 countries and the European Union (EU). The South Asian country is holding the presidency in the group, organizing the meeting under a special theme that reflects the interconnectedness of the forum's agenda.