5 min
The State of the African Diaspora was designated as the 6th region of Africa, consisting of 350 million inhabitants, but with no borders. It is made up of generations of Africans that were made to leave the continent and settled elsewhere. Some left generations ago and hardly remember their ties to Africa, while some have left recently seeking refuge or employment. The African Diaspora is fairly unique in that it has its own constitution, government, parliament, ambassadors and even programs of action. One such example of action is their recent efforts to have artifacts in France returned to Benin. The State has even created its own currency.
Dr. Louis-Georges Tin was mandated by the former president of the African Union to bring structure to the African Diaspora. The prime minister is well known for his efforts in France and internationally in advocating against racism and homophobia. He is and has been very confident in the efforts of the African Diaspora to support the African Union from an independent position. Due to its independence, the State can help in situations such as working with Mauritania to work on modern slavery, a campaign that was approved by Mauritania’s president.
The State has the ability to build cities and implement restitution programs like they have with Benin and now the Congo. These restitution projects that were implemented were so successful that several other countries are now interested in collaborating with the African Diaspora. International collaboration and especially partnerships are an important objective of the people of the State in diaspora, and they have even begun working with India on establishing a chamber of commerce.
The State of the African Diaspora was featured in our November 29, 2021, GAPPAP webinar. We were very honoured to have the prime minister in our midst.
Professor Ken Giller, British agronomist from Wageningen University, asked the prime minister if it is possible for the African Diaspora to direct some of the funds that come in towards development or addressing critical issues. Most of these remittances funds that flow into Africa from the African diaspora consist of money being sent my family members for education, medical and other such bills. This comes to a total of almost 65 billion dollars, according to the World Bank. However, as stated, this money is not a collective effort. Collective remittances could do so much to help relieve some of these financial burdens, for example, using collective remittances to build an electric plant to make electricity cheaper as opposed to sending money for individual electricity bills. Dr. Tin expressed his belief that a fund should be created that is trusted and well governed so that those members of the diaspora that want to donate but don’t know where to send their money. The money collected this way, would fund the creation of infrastructure and business projects for young entrepreneurs.
Rebranding Africa
Eileen Zuberi, founder of Lens of Africa, worked to start the African Youth Diaspora group to empower African youth. The youth diaspora tries to focus on paving the African identity and building bridges between the African diaspora and the continent. Bridges are necessary because the cultural differences between the diaspora and the continent create certain barriers. The youth diaspora group works to bridge these gaps by connecting youth with projects in tandem with local rulers and leaders of certain tribes. Zuberi also commented on the possibility of collaborative efforts of remittances for development. Currently, efforts already exist with cooperation with IMF and the World Bank. However, Zuberi finds the issue lies mostly with the lack of partnership on the part of international organizations. She emphasizes the importance of managing the risks of the money they invest by systemic empowerment. Africa needs goodwill and respectful strategic partners. Africa is a bountiful continent with lots of resources at its disposal, but it lacks a systemic way to distribute them. The international community and diaspora can help to rebrand Africa's image. The world discusses the conflicts and the poverty as the centre of Africa’s image, as opposed to the strengths.
There are so many different cultures and languages across the continent. Understanding each of these cultural and linguistic contexts is how the State of the African Diaspora hopes to organise support for their common cause. Gbandi agreed with the prime minister in that a certain amount from remittances should be put aside for development. He suggested that a percentage of all remittances will be kept aside and monitored by a safe and secure body. It should be put towards further development in each of these regions.
Empowering women
The empowerment of women is another important mission of the diaspora and one that partnerships can help to accomplish. Regina Inem, Chairman of the Regamos Foundation, works to empower women within grassroots movements. She is also the secretary general of Women in International Trade in Nigeria, and she works especially with women that produce food. Women produce most of the food that is exported out of Nigeria however they are often left out of the process. These women remain poor because middlemen buy their produce and take the margin, leaving them poor.
The future of Africa is the diaspora's collaborative energy. The money that comes in through remittances isn’t the only benefit the diaspora has on the continent, it can also bring in knowledge and the mindset that is necessary to build the framework. Without the right framework, it is difficult to change the mindset from that of reliance to partnership. Partnership with international bodies is reliant on transparency and accountability, says Yemi Odubote, strategic business consultant. Ambassador Jasmin Row emphasized the members of the diaspora as descendants of the slave trade, and the need to encourage them to work with the African continent. "Colonialism splintered the diaspora and the continent and we need to look back at who we were and who we are, in order to come together as a people."
In his final words prime minister Tin said the State of the African Union is like the birth of a Nation, coming not out of war but out of love.
The State has the ability to build cities and implement restitution programs like they have with Benin and now the Congo. These restitution projects that were implemented were so successful that several other countries are now interested in collaborating with the African Diaspora. International collaboration and especially partnerships are an important objective of the people of the State in diaspora, and they have even begun working with India on establishing a chamber of commerce.
The State of the African Diaspora was featured in our November 29, 2021, GAPPAP webinar. We were very honoured to have the prime minister in our midst.
Africa needs goodwill and respectful strategic partners. Africa is a bountiful continent with lots of resources at its disposal, but it lacks a systemic way to distribute them. The international community and diaspora can help to rebrand Africa's imageFunds to create infrastructure and new business projects
Professor Ken Giller, British agronomist from Wageningen University, asked the prime minister if it is possible for the African Diaspora to direct some of the funds that come in towards development or addressing critical issues. Most of these remittances funds that flow into Africa from the African diaspora consist of money being sent my family members for education, medical and other such bills. This comes to a total of almost 65 billion dollars, according to the World Bank. However, as stated, this money is not a collective effort. Collective remittances could do so much to help relieve some of these financial burdens, for example, using collective remittances to build an electric plant to make electricity cheaper as opposed to sending money for individual electricity bills. Dr. Tin expressed his belief that a fund should be created that is trusted and well governed so that those members of the diaspora that want to donate but don’t know where to send their money. The money collected this way, would fund the creation of infrastructure and business projects for young entrepreneurs.
Rebranding Africa
Eileen Zuberi, founder of Lens of Africa, worked to start the African Youth Diaspora group to empower African youth. The youth diaspora tries to focus on paving the African identity and building bridges between the African diaspora and the continent. Bridges are necessary because the cultural differences between the diaspora and the continent create certain barriers. The youth diaspora group works to bridge these gaps by connecting youth with projects in tandem with local rulers and leaders of certain tribes. Zuberi also commented on the possibility of collaborative efforts of remittances for development. Currently, efforts already exist with cooperation with IMF and the World Bank. However, Zuberi finds the issue lies mostly with the lack of partnership on the part of international organizations. She emphasizes the importance of managing the risks of the money they invest by systemic empowerment. Africa needs goodwill and respectful strategic partners. Africa is a bountiful continent with lots of resources at its disposal, but it lacks a systemic way to distribute them. The international community and diaspora can help to rebrand Africa's image. The world discusses the conflicts and the poverty as the centre of Africa’s image, as opposed to the strengths.
Colonialism splintered the diaspora and the continent and we need to look back at who we were and who we are, in order to come together as a peopleThere are multiple diasporas across Africa. Kenneth Gbandi has worked extensively with the Nigerian diaspora. The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) has the largest diaspora with 5 bodies in various parts of the world. It has even been recorded to bring in more remittances than Nigeria’s oil revenue. Kenneth has expressed the necessity for us to look at the peculiarities of each country in Africa. As mentioned by Zuberi, colonialism in Africa kept the continent divided.
There are so many different cultures and languages across the continent. Understanding each of these cultural and linguistic contexts is how the State of the African Diaspora hopes to organise support for their common cause. Gbandi agreed with the prime minister in that a certain amount from remittances should be put aside for development. He suggested that a percentage of all remittances will be kept aside and monitored by a safe and secure body. It should be put towards further development in each of these regions.
Empowering women
The empowerment of women is another important mission of the diaspora and one that partnerships can help to accomplish. Regina Inem, Chairman of the Regamos Foundation, works to empower women within grassroots movements. She is also the secretary general of Women in International Trade in Nigeria, and she works especially with women that produce food. Women produce most of the food that is exported out of Nigeria however they are often left out of the process. These women remain poor because middlemen buy their produce and take the margin, leaving them poor.
The State of the African Union is like the birth of Nation, coming not out of war but out of loveTo help farmers and grassroots movements benefit more, it is important to understand these challenges. One of these challenges is the lack of factories and processing facilities for the raw produce that is supplied by these women. Many don’t have the tools and machinery they need to produce consumer ready finished products to make a decent profit. Partnerships with the diaspora and international groups can help them to change this. It can help groups of rural farmers to obtain and share this machinery and tools they need to process their wares and make a real living.
The future of Africa is the diaspora's collaborative energy. The money that comes in through remittances isn’t the only benefit the diaspora has on the continent, it can also bring in knowledge and the mindset that is necessary to build the framework. Without the right framework, it is difficult to change the mindset from that of reliance to partnership. Partnership with international bodies is reliant on transparency and accountability, says Yemi Odubote, strategic business consultant. Ambassador Jasmin Row emphasized the members of the diaspora as descendants of the slave trade, and the need to encourage them to work with the African continent. "Colonialism splintered the diaspora and the continent and we need to look back at who we were and who we are, in order to come together as a people."
In his final words prime minister Tin said the State of the African Union is like the birth of a Nation, coming not out of war but out of love.
Related
Otto #1 writes: "Again it is a spiritual problem: Europe needs more trust in small groups. Africa needs more trust in bigger groups".
Yes, I agree. But HOW do we build more trust? Trust in my view is grounded in the underlying collective consciousness. For more on this, see:
Van Eijk T. (1998). Farming Systems Research and Spirituality. An analysis of the foundations of professionalism in developing sustainable farming systems. PhD thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands. http://edepot.wur.nl/121226
First let me express my greatest respect for the efforts of the international remittance organization the State of African Diaspora. It is not easy. Coordination and cooperation and that on the level of complete Africa is a high aim and at the same time pretty much what is required. Most of the remittances are spent on direct family support, although a certain percentage of that also is in turn by the family abroad invested in (mostly small) business operations. The challenge thus faced consists in enlarging cooperation beyond the family.
I would like to point out that this challenge is not just a matter of economics, and not only a matter of practical and strategic advantage or cooperation. It is also a spiritual effort. It involves a change of perception. It requires the stranger to become a neighbor.
In many cases colonialism increased the divisions between tribes (divide and rule), but it could only do so on the basis of existing divisions. Trust between different tribes in Africa did occur, but it was not abundantly available even before colonialism. The scramble for Africa in the 19th century by “modern” Western nations showed the same divisiveness, but now among the European nations. Until the middle of the century the efforts of missionary activity (churches, schools and hospitals) could keep pace with the economic exploitation. The scramble for Africa after 1870 by Western nations is due to their inner divisiveness and competition. Even until now the European Union doesn’t have a common policy towards Africa due to its inner divisions.
In other words, the national divisions within Europe and the ethnic divisions within Africa reinforced each other in the past and still do so. We are nagging on the same issue. It is a great challenge for the State of the African Diaspora to overcome these ethnic divisions. It is also a great challenge for the European Union to overcome its divisions and cooperate amongst the different nations.
Could Europe and Africa learn from each other? The European economy has become a machine bureaucracy, and that puts limitations on the feeling of identity. As cogs in the machine people always feel uprooted. That feeling and the ensuing nationalism was already the motor also for the scramble for Africa, which was part of the road that led to two world wars. Africa is also divided among too many petty groups, primarily family, followed by ethnicity and networks of dependency. If Europe creates more small groups, e.g. small enterprises with which people can identify, and Africa enlarges its scale of cooperation beyond family and ethnicity, also by cooperation in small and medium-sized enterprises, Europe and Africa would meet half way.
Again it is a spiritual problem: Europe needs more trust in small groups. Africa needs more trust in bigger groups. That has been the reason for me to introduce the term “the entrepreneurial tribe” in an earlier discussion on this website. That is what Africa and Europe both need.
Otto Kroesen, assistant professor cross-cultural entrepreneurship (retired)
Otto Kroesen
Planetery Service
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ottokroesen@gmail.com