AU Moves to Strengthen Diaspora Participation in African Affairs

Sunday Ehigiator

The Secretary General of African Union Sixth Region Global (AU6RG), Mr. Macaulay Kalu, has said that the body was working towards strengthening alliances and participation with people of African descent all over the world.

AU6RG is a region of the African Union (AU) formed in 2003 to help people of African descent connect with their roots in Africa, foster meaningful relationships and encourage avenues for development of the continent.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos during a visit to Nigeria, Kalu explained that the need to open up access to Africans in the diaspora was imminent as their participation holds enormous promise in helping the diasporas find their indigenous identity.

“The United Nations declared 2014 as The Year of People of African Descent and this year is the final year of that decade. To that effect, we are looking to have most African countries declare 2024 as the ‘Year of Return’ being the final year.

“The AU declared its Decade of People of African Descent from 2021 to 2031 and the goal is to engage the member states with the global diaspora. We are hoping that the Nigerian government will declare this year as a Year of Return which will be a great opportunity for our government and the citizens to benefit from the relationship for foreign direct investments at different levels.

“We believe that Lagos State and the Nigerian government have a lot to gain in opening the doors for more ‘diasporans’ to do their test and know where they come from. Nigerians need to open their hands and welcome their sons and daughters who have been gone for over 400 years,” Kalu said.

Kalu added that this return has the potential to solidify Africa’s presence on the global scene through the building of stronger partnerships and institutions.

Ambassador of AU6RG to East Africa, Ms. Madeleine James, stated that partnerships with the international diaspora community will accelerate the vision of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

“There are people in villages who are not on social media but if we look at the multiplier effect, we are going to have diasporans come down here and invest. If somebody from that village is employed there, it becomes more than just a narrative,” she noted.

On his part, the newly appointed Ambassador of AU6RG to Nigeria, Mr. Afolabi Oke, stated that opening Africa’s doors to people of African descent globally and giving them an environment to thrive was the way to go.

“All we need to do is open up our doors to historic Africans and people of African descent to come back and give them an enabling environment for them to thrive,” he stressed.