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Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO , Nigerians in Diaspora Commission
(NiDCOM) says Africa must take its pride of place on the global map, as
it cannot be relegated to the background anymore given its huge human
and natural endowments.
Dabiri-Erewa stated this at a joint World Press Conference to midwife
the Global African Diaspora Symposium (GADS) in Abuja.
The NiDCOM Boss, who is also a Co-Chair of the event, noted that like
most African diaspora-related programmes, GADS is birthed by the
declaration of the 2012 Global Diaspora Summit, targeted at Africa to
form impactful engagements with its Diaspora and the African Union’s
(AU) first African Global Diaspora Summit in 2021, which encourages
partnership among member states.
In addition, she pointed out that the Symposium is built upon the first
African Diaspora Symposium (ADS-2020), held in Nairobi, Kenya in
December 2020, as well as, the maiden outing of the Organisation of
African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Diaspora Forum in Luanda,
Republic of Angola on December 7, 2022 for its 10th Summit Edition, to
establish a chance for Africa to engage with its Diaspora.
According to her, the theme of the Symposium: ” Building Stronger
Connections between Africa and the Global Diaspora”, is designed to
address and proffer workable solutions to Africa’s most pressing issues
and create necessary partnerships between key Diaspora leaders,
especially in the African continent to achieve successful results.
The NiDCOM Chairman informed that the two-day hybrid event is slated to
hold April 27-28, 2023 at the Rotunda Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Abuja.
She called on the general public to register at *www.gadsafrica.com* ,
to have a full experience of the programme.
In the same vein, Amb. Rabiu Daigari, Director General, Directorate of
Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA), said the programme will
integrate all Africans worldwide together and fast track the
reconnection process for Africa’s development.
Dr. Malcolm Beech, a member of the Global Diaspora Organising Committee
in America, states that the Symposium serves as a catalyst for Africa’s
renaissance and reawakening to change the narratives.
Prof Chika Anyanwu, an Academia based in Sydney, Australia and Dr Bashir
Obasekola, NIDO Continental Chairman based in Russia all submit that the
Global African Diaspora Symposium provides the time for Africans, home
and abroad, to showcase themselves to the world and the continent as a
progressive and last economic frontier to the world.
The Global African Diaspora Symposium (GADS) is organised by the African
Diaspora Alliance (AfDA), Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific
States (OACPS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria (MFA), Nigerians in
Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) and the Directorate of Technical
Cooperation in Africa (DTCA).
The Chairman Local Organizing Committee Mrs Ibukun Odusote concludes
that the Symposium objective among others is to create an interface for
networking among African and other Diaspora all over the world, as well
as promote the spirit of Pan-Africanism among Africans globally.
