10 April 2007, by Ben Zwinkels. This week we were again confronted with the shameful "Schengen" regulations for Nigerians for obtaining entry visa for the Netherlands. On a special invitation two high profile investment managers were invited to attend an international investment conference in The Hague. Both managers, with excellent high local and foreign education, are working for a prime partner within a group of international development investors in Africa. The two managers in question are representing the new generation of Nigerian high professionals, are working with high respect for integrity and human business qualities and have the convinced attitude to create a new Nigeria and of course a new Africa.
Since the creation of the Africa Venture Capital Association in 2003 many of the Private Equity Funds have been established to support the growing economical business environment in Africa. Especially, Nigerians with high foreign education, like the London Business School in London, reputable universities in the US and other European countries are, as investment managers, now supporting those funds by bringing straight forward business principles, transparency and sustainable development. Crucial for this type of job is that those managers are kept on the highest international level of new developments and initiatives. Travelling and meeting others is very necessary to stay in close contact with this new world. It is for this reason that the conference in The Hague had been organised, bringing together investment managers from all corners of Africa.
It is a paradox that the rich countries in Europe want Africa to rise in economical development and take her own responsibility to bring her countries to economical and social growth, while at the same time there are so many obstacles in getting travel visa for Africans. Why are the "Schengen" regulations so frustrating for so many officials from Africa when they want to travel and meet business communities abroad? How can we really realise poverty alleviation in Africa when European Embassies prevent African people from meeting foreign investors and international companies?
Take for example the two above mentioned investment managers. They received an official invitation letter to come to the Netherlands well in time. The letter included the reasons for the invitation, the purpose of the conference and the guaranty that all costs would be borne by the organising party. As only the original letter was accepted, the particular letter could not be scanned or faxed, but had to be sent by DHL at the costs of EUR 100 directly to the Netherlands Embassy in Abuja. The necessary personal appointment with the Netherlands Embassy in Abuja to be questioned, and to see whether one was really the person as mentioned in the passport, followed. For this investigation the two investment managers had to travel by plane from Lagos to Abuja and had to take a hotel room to spend the night.
For the next day an appointment was fixed with one the consular officers, but upon arrival at the Embassy that very morning entrance was refused, because supposedly there was no appointment! It took quite a number of international and local calls to convince the consular officer that the two investment managers really did have a definite appointment. The interview was held and the two could now fly back to Lagos in order to wait and be called again by the Netherlands Embassy. Last week they had to travel again by plane to Abuja to obtain the visa. While arriving at the Embassy this time the copy of the insurance document did not seem to be correct. Only the original document was accepted. Again a lot of trouble, frustration, humiliation, and phone calls to finally result in getting the entry visa for the Netherlands just one day before the actual travel date. The two investment managers were allowed to stay in The Netherlands for the organised conference only and not one day longer to enjoy the nice spring and tulip fields of Holland.
At the moment many Africans are experiencing those terrible procedures and abuses to get entry visa for Schengen countries and it is very often experienced by them as very humiliating and abusive. No distinctions are made between Africans, who have already been travelling before to the Netherlands or who are very important to Dutch business companies. All new visa applications have the same procedure and every time the costs for internal flight tickets to Abuja and overnight staying in hotels are expensive and a complete waste of time.
The entire visa issue is not only frustrating business development in Africa, but is also frustrating potential new business with Dutch Companies. During the "Africa Road Show" organised by the Netherlands Africa Business Council (NABC) on the 4th of April 2007, Dutch companies have been heavily complaining about the frustrating procedures of the Dutch Embassies issuing visa to Africans. Often Dutch companies want to invite African partners to show the business in Holland or invite Africans to Holland for a training period in order to get a better business exchange.
While visa for Great Britain are relatively easy obtained by high profile investment managers and African business representatives, Schengen regulations are really frustrating business developments. Internally it is already known that big international companies are not anymore organising the yearly staff meetings in Holland, but are taking advantage of the more welcoming situation in London.
It is very much believed that the way the European Schengen Embassies are treating Africans in issuing entry visa, will lead to enormous further frustration and humiliation. Once Africa will consider this as another colonial suppression resulting in all kinds of revenge you can imagine. The Netherlands can only sustain her own economy by keeping her doors open and by having respect for the African continent. Africa will show, although maybe too late, that it is a part of the world, and it should not be seen as a continent where misery prevails. It is beyond doubt that Europe needs Africa and it should be wise to completely change the method of scrutinizing visa applications from highly professional Nigerians and other African citizens. Europe and The Netherlands in particular also need the African agricultural products, the crude oil and other raw materials from Africa. 
Freely welcoming solid African entrepreneurs, investment managers and African bankers to the Netherlands in order to exchange views, to learn, to assist and to make things really happen will finally lead to a mutual equal treatment and a sound and sustainable development of Africa.
Ben Zwinkels is a Senior Investment Officer of the Equity Department at the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO, www.fmo.nl)

More columns by Ben Zwinkels

2 April 2007 : The economical progress and development in Dubai, what is in it for Africa?
18 March 2007 : New Moroccan investor take big position in Africa, beware!
6 March 2007 : How would Africa be today if the Germans would have stayed in Tanzania, Cameroon, and Togo? - A recent visit to Namibia
3 March 2007 : Young dynamic Nigerians will perform; there is no point of return!