A new UK programme is aiming to increase the involvement of Africans in the Diaspora in international development

The Royal African Society and AFFORD are running a nation-wide initiative dedicated to enhancing the contribution of the African Diaspora to international development.

The recently launched Africa-UK Diaspora Engagement and Dialogue aims to increase the role of the Diaspora in Africa’s development and to ensure that the Diaspora inform debates about development priorities for Africa. The initiative intends to foster greater dialogue and engagement between policy makers and UK-based Africans working in development

As part of the initiative, AFFORD will be holding Diaspora advocacy training sessions around the UK, linked to Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings, and African Embassy Engagement meetings where policy-makers and embassy officials will discuss key issues with participants.

The African Foundation for Development (AFFORD) was founded as a UK registered charity in 1994 by a group of Africans in the UK, in response to concerns, that despite the vast number of Africans in the UK who organize themselves and contribute to Africa's development, Africans were effectively marginalized from mainstream development activity directed towards Africa. There was also a realization that different Africans can and should learn from each other.

Since its inception, AFFORD’s mission has been to enhance and expand the capacity of Africans in the diaspora to contribute to Africa's development. Through a range of programmes, the organisation has mobilized African diaspora communities/groups in the diaspora to invest their time, as well as their financial, intellectual, cultural, political and social capital to create/support small, micro & medium sized enterprises (SMMEs) that focus on providing employment opportunities for young people in DRC, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Uganda.

AFFORD seeks to achieve its mission through five strategic goals: to shift the balance of power to Africa; to influence the African development agenda; to root AFFORD firmly in Africa; to build a strong and sustainable organisation and strengthen its legitimacy and effectiveness. In recent years, AFFORD has concentrated on supporting the African diaspora in the UK to contribute to wealth and job creation in Africa.

The new programme, whose funders include Comic Relief and Common Ground Initiative, includes a number of Advocacy Training & Special Interest Group Sessions aimed at predominately diaspora African individuals or others linked to Diaspora/development organisations. Participants will need to demonstrate involvement, knowledge or interest in African development, UK policy development or specific advocacy themes.

The format of the training will involve an intensive one-day course (from 9.30 to 5pm). The goal is to give trainees introductory knowledge and skills on how to engage with and influence policymakers and decision makers, within the Diaspora context of limited resources and networks, and the absence of significant representation in the corridors of power.

On separate dates there will be evening Special Interest Group activities and Embassy Meetings where participants can use their learning to engage policy makers and influencers directly.

The selected participants will be required to attend two sessions in each regional location. The first session will focus on ‘Introduction to Diaspora Advocacy’ and the second session on ‘Diaspora Engagement with Parliament and Partners’. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded at the end of the two sessions and SIGs.