By Kazeem Akolawole
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has disclosed that it will host Global African Diaspora Symposium (GADS) in Abuja 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 Chairman/CEO, of NIDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, while briefing journalists at a joint world press conference to midwife the Global African Diaspora Symposium (GADS) in Abuja, said 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.
The NIDCOM boss also 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.
Similarly, 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 academic based in Sydney, Australia and Dr. Bashir Obasekola, NIDO Continental Chairman based in Russia all submited 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.
