From Africa Recovery, Vol.13#4 (December 1999), page 16 (part of special feature on information technology)

Connecting with the African diaspora

By Lorna Davidson*

All Africans should come together and "turn the resource drain into resource gain," participants agreed during a panel discussion on the African diaspora. African expatriates and people of African descent are a vast and neglected resource that Africa should mobilize for its development. New technology has made it easier for Africa to benefit from the knowledge, skills and investment capital of Africans abroad, participants concluded.

Africans in the diaspora still depend on the home continent for identity. They share the hurt caused by political conflict and war and by the continent's weak bargaining position in institutions such as the World Trade Organization, speakers emphasized. Others suggested that think-tanks in the diaspora could support Africa's efforts to improve its trade situation by lobbying, preparing position papers and monitoring specific trade provisions that work against Africa's interests.

Given the continent's need to diversify its trade partners, participants noted that African exporters should target companies and communities in the diaspora in order to penetrate new markets overseas. As was pointed out in another panel discussion on electronic commerce, not only are there many potential investors among Africans abroad but the whole diaspora is also a big market with great purchasing power and high demand for African products. There are skilled people who can contribute physically and electronically to teacher training, distance learning and other educational and health programmes in Africa. They can help develop the electronic networks of non-governmental organizations. Distance is now no obstacle to mobilizing the resources of the diaspora and participants agreed to compile a database of active diaspora groups.

* English Editor, Information and Communication Team, ECA.

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