Diaspora communities are the greatest off-shore assets useful to achieve sustainable development in their countries of origin.
Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Georges Chikoti, made this remark at the second edition of the Global African Diaspora Symposium (GADS), in Abuja.
He said GADS ”is geared towards creating right framework for Diasporans to contribute towards Climate Change and Science and Technology”.
Chikoti noted that global African diasporans are reliable through their talents and expertise to harness science, technology and innovation.
“They can address multidimensional vulnerabilities and achieve the social development goals,” he said.
In the context of OACPS, Chitoki said diaspora movement was secular in historical diaspora and recent migration.
Earlier on, the Director-General Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA), Amb. Rabiu Dagari said the symposium seeks to proffer solutions to pressing issues that pose challenges to Africa’s development.
“It also aimed at forming necessary partnerships to achieve success.
“It is pertinent for Nigeria and Africa to acknowledge the importance of the African Diasporas with their immense skills, resources, global exposure and talents to the development of Africa,” he said.
According to him, the value of remittances from African Diaspora rose from $37 billion in 2010 to $87 billion in 2019 and $95.6 billion by 2021.
Egypt and Nigeria, he said, are among the top ten remittance recipient countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Chairman Local Organising Committee of GADS 2023, Mrs Ibukun Odusote, described the African Diaspora as the sixth region of the African Union.
She added that the goal of developing the African continent may not be achievable without the involvement of the African Diaspora.
Odusote noted that this year’s symposium “is simply to foster new connections for a stronger global African diaspora partnership”.
It is also to commemorate the International Day for People of African Descent, first held in Ghana in September 2015.
“This symposium is designed to address five implementable solutions to Africa’s most pressing issues.
“It also seeks to create interface between Africa and its diasporans to maximise partnership and collaboration,” she added.
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