Dr. Jimni Adisa, speaking for the African Union (AU), gave the definition of an African Diaspora. Diasporans “must have a bloodline; must be dispersed outside the continent; and must commit to the building of the African Union.” He said the African Union has been engaged in the process of intensive global consultations with the African Diaspora in London, Paris, Caribbean, and everywhere, over the last three years.
“To enable Diaspora participation in the African Union structure, the AU introduced 20 seats in the Economic, Social and Cultural Council for the Diaspora,” Adisa said. “The next steps would be to explore how the Diaspora participates in all the other institutions—Pan African Parliament, the Executive Council and the Assembly.”
Initiatives aimed at drawing Diasporans back home also was a topic of discussion. Read
