South Africa to host the Global African Diaspora Summit in Johannesburg on 25 May 2012.

The theme of the Summit is: “Towards the Realisation of a United and Prosperous Africa and its Diaspora”. The Diaspora Summit will take place on the 49th anniversary of African unity which was marked by the establishment of the Organisation of African Union (OAU) in 1963, and the transition to the African Union in 2002.

The Global African Diaspora Summit is expected to endorse activities which will be undertaken and implemented as a way forward. These activities include:

• The AU Diaspora Volunteer Programme that would associate the Diaspora directly and urgently with the development efforts on the continent and give concrete meaning to concept of one African family;
• An African Diaspora Development Fund and Remittances and Financial instruments;
• The development of a Skills Database of Diaspora Professionals;
• The adoption and promotion of the Development Market Place for an African Diaspora model as a framework to facilitate innovation and develop entrepreneurship to empower the youth of the Continent and her Diaspora; as well as
• Transport infrastructure and agriculture, land and rural development

A declaration and plan of action galvanising Africa and its Diaspora to work for the continent’s development will be adopted at the end of the Summit.
For more information please contact:
Mr Silindele Thabede
First Secretary
+32 2285 4434
thabedes@dirco.gov.za