By P. Sarojini
NAIROBI, Kenya (CWBN)_ Africa being one of the most affected continents by the Coronavirus pandemic seeks ways for resuming its ailing economy. The African government is attempting to attract investments from global sources through their new business plans. In view of supporting the government to overcome the current economic crisis, the African diaspora seeks to render a helping hand to the continent to recover from its pandemic effects. The diaspora plans to invest in the most affected areas of the economy.
It was said that a group of diaspora welfare campaigners are planning to organise a symposium which will focus on how the African migrants living outside the continent can contribute to the recovery measures. The symposium is scheduled to commence on December 8 and will end on the 10th. For Kenya Diaspora Alliance, this scheduled symposium is one of the annual rituals where they discuss on Kenyan economy and the ways of improvement. This time, due to the Coronavirus pandemic and its fatal effects on economy, the alliance is pushed to contact their partners across the continent to discuss on the current economic crisis faced by Africa and the recovery measures, especially in the sub-Saharan Africa.
The organisers of the symposium stated that African Diaspora Symposium-ADS2020 scheduled for next month will discuss the theme: “Leveraging Diaspora Resources for Africa’s Economic Recovery Post-Covid” and will be incorporated in the annual Kenya Diaspora Homecoming Convention KDHC2020 due at the Ole Sereni Hotel.
It was said that the current prevailing Covid situation in Kenya and the continent may push some activities of the symposium to go virtual. Shem Ochuodho, the Global Chairperson of the KDA said, “Subject to the Ministry of Health’s Covid-19 protocols, the event shall be a hybrid”. He added, “About 200 high-profile guest speakers and participants comprising industry experts, policy makers and government officials drawn from across the continent will be physically attending at Ole Sereni, while the rest will be participating virtually”. It was announced that KDA will organise this symposium along with the nascent Africa Diaspora Alliance.
The diaspora lobbies reported that to host the African Diaspora Symposium, they have partnered with several Caribbean organisations, African-American, as well as diaspora federations in other countries.
The symposium is scheduled at a time where even the diaspora seems to be battling the economic adversities encountered through the year to keep sending money home. Data from the Central Bank of Kenya shows that total inflows in the past 12 months until September 2020 stood at $2,967 million (Sh322.8 billion) and that of last year’s total inflow for the corresponding period stood at $2,786 million (Sh303.1 billion).
The African diaspora seemed to have battled the challenges despite the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. According to the World Bank, the diaspora contributed around $80 billion to the continent, of which $48 billion was attributed to sub-Saharan Africa remittances for last year.
It was said that this symposium will pave way for numerous opportunities and will also plan on post-pandemic Africa. The organisers stated that the significant area of discussion will be the “deepening of the involvement of the 6th Region — African diaspora — via co-investment” and other areas of discussion includes African businesses and governments sectors as well as healthcare, manufacturing, infrastructure, agro-processing, tourism, import-export, digital economy and arts.
Edited by Elishya Perera
