The African Diaspora – 300M strong with a Global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over $2T USD
We hosted a session on solutions proposed on the African Diaspora Directorate Conference Call Sunday, July 28th 2019 to President Trumps Tweets on Baltimore
President-Trump-Tweets-on-Baltimore-a-Tweet-150-years-in-the-makingWe accept the African Union’s 2005 definition of the African Diaspora
In 2005, the African Union defined the African Diaspora (AU) as “… peoples of African descent and heritage living outside the continent, irrespective of their citizenship, and who remain committed to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the African Union.” In 2012 The AU expanded, in writing but not in fact, its membership to those who do not live in its established 5 regions to a 6th region – the African Diaspora.
The African Diaspora is mainly those persons of African descent dispersed from Africa into Europe, Asia and the Americas during Arab and European commercial slave raids. It also consists of those persons who voluntarily migrated from Africa in the 20th and 21st century. The African population in the Western Hemisphere is about 150 million persons in South America (mainly Brazil & Columbia), with 3M in Central America, 42M in the Caribbean, 22M in the Middle East, 20M in Asia (Including India/Indonesia), 13M in Europe and 50M in North America, 47M of them in the United States of America (According to the 2018 US Census Bureau Estimate)
Concept of the African Diaspora Directorate
Concept-behind-The-African-Diaspora-Directorate-1The Justification for the African Diaspora Directorate given to the United Nations.
2019-WGEPAD-Stadus-Response-and-Actions-for-USAA Co-Sponsor of the African Diaspora Directorate in Friends of the African Union (2012 – present day)
We at FAU are focused on North America in 2019.
In 2012 we created Friends of the African Union and in 2013 Friends of the African Union Chamber of Commerce who today act as convener of the organs called for in these pages. In that same year Africa called at the first global African Diaspora Summit in May 2012 for her children to organize in joint operations as the African diaspora to answer through 5 legacy projects and other actions.
Friends of the African Union recognizes that the African Union, to date, is the only organization which has the structural and functional capacity to unite, and service the needs and aspirations of the more than 1.6 billion People of African Descent (#PAD, a United Nations term), globally.
We believe it can serve as the provisional government of a unified Africa as put forth in its 2013 50 year plan document Africa 2063. Friends of the African Union knows that the political fragmentation and segregation is by race and class. Many poor Africans in America have a high degree of desperation and hopelessness along with the belief that things can’t change. Friends of the African Union was created to change this perception by action; we will walk the walk, not just talk the talk – we are asking people, organizations, communities and companies to join us in changing the live of Africans in our lifetime.
FAU adopted in 2013 Africa 2063 as the global strategy to optimize use of Africa’s resources for the benefits of all Africans. In 2014 FAU adopted and has enhanced the New Future Foundation $3 Trillion Dollar Goree Island plan of New Future Foundation through a Quantitative Easing based debt purchasing plan called the Daniels IDIQ that can help to transform the members states of the AU into what it has promised in Africa 2063. FAU and allies propose in the 6th region an approach based on how the Diaspora learned lessons of the past and now we now how to build on the progress now underway. We are assembling to do so and look forward to a productive 2016.
Since November 2015 FAU is in the process with New Future Foundation and World African Diaspora Union (WADU) of forming an alliance of civil society groups across the world to promote and strengthen the effectiveness of Africa solidarity and integration, bringing together networks to build trust and cooperation among African Diaspora civil society leaders for reflection and experience sharing in pursuit of membership in the African Union’s the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).
We started this effort at the November 2015 meeting called by the African Union ECOSOCC at the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention.
Handed by Hershel Daniels Junior to Presiding Officer Chilengi on November 21st 2015 at the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention
RECALLING the objectives and principles enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union;
ADDITIONALLY RECALLING the Protocol on Amendments to the Constitutive Act of the African Union adopted by the First Extra-Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2003, and in particular Article 3(q) which invites the African Diaspora to participate as an important component in the building of the African Union;
RECOGNIZING the need to build sustainable partnerships between the African continent and the African Diaspora through sustainable dialogue and effective collaboration with governments and peoples of different regions of the World in which the Diaspora populations are located;
COGNIZANT of the fact that culture and identity inform all facets of development;
ACKNOWLEDGING the need to celebrate and preserve the shared heritage between Africa and peoples of African descent in the Diaspora;
BEARING IN MIND that the African Diaspora represents a historical and evolving experience which calls for an approach that is sensitive to the specificities of the different regions;
AFFIRMING the need to promote South-South Cooperation as a framework for enhancing mutual development as well as Pan-African Solidarity;
REAFFIRMING the importance of women and youth as important pillars of our society that should be mainstreamed in all Diaspora discourses and actions;
LAUDING the efforts undertaken thus far to support Africa and African Diaspora process including organizational efforts, measures and strategies pursued by the African Union;
FURTHER RECALLING relevant African Union Decisions including Decision EX.CL/Dec. 5 (III) on the Development of the Diaspora Initiative adopted by the Third Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in Maputo, Mozambique, in July 2003, Decision EX.CL/Dec. 221 (VII) on the Africa-Diaspora Process adopted by the Eighth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in January 2006 and Decision EX.CL/Dec. 406 (XII) on the First African Union Diaspora Ministerial Conference adopted by the Twelfth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January2008 on the modalities for Diaspora participation in the organs and activities of the Union and Decision Ass/AU/Dec.205(XI) adopted by the Eleventh Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in July 2008 on the Africa Diaspora Summit, Decision, Ass/AU/Dec 354 (XVI) of the Sixteen Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2011 on the Roadmap for the Diaspora Summit, including the convening of a Technical Experts meeting in Pretoria, South Africa in February 2011 and Decision Ass/AU/Dec 367 (XVII) of the Seventeenth Ordinary Session of Assembly of the Union on the convening of a second Ministerial Conference on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2011 as well as Decision Assembly/AU/Dec. 393(XVIII) endorsing the outcome and conclusions of the Second Ministerial Conference held in New York in September 2011.
ACKNOWLEDGE of the importance to the African Diaspora of the establishment of The Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) under the provision of Articles 5 and 22 of the Constitutive Act;
ACKNOWLEDGING ECOSOCC Statutes, adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2004, define it as an advisory organ composed of different social and professional groups of AU Member States (Assembly/AU/Dec.48 (III)). The first ECOSOCC General Assembly was formally launched on 9 September 2008 in Dar es Salaam, UR of Tanzania.
KNOWLEDGABLE of the Structure of ECOSOCC and that under article 4 of the ECOSOCC Statutes, the Council is composed of 150 CSOs: 1 two CSOs from each Member State; 10 CSOs operating at regional level and eight at continental level; 20 CSOs from the African Diaspora, as defined by the Executive Council and covering the continents of the world; and six CSOs, in ex-officio capacity, nominated by the AU Commission and based on special considerations, in consultation with Member States.
UNDERSTANDING that Article 4 also provides for Member State, regional, continental and Diaspora representatives to be elected on the basis of 50 percent gender equality and 50 percent aged between 18 and 35. Members are elected for four-year terms and may be re-elected once.
CONVINCED that popular participation in the activities of the African Union, as enunciated in the African Charter for Popular Participation, is a prerequisite for its success;
GUIDED by the common vision of a united and strong Africa and by the need to build a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth, the private sector and the African Diaspora, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples;
RECALLING the decision of the Assembly to invite and encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of the Continent, in the building of the African Union.
CONVINCED of the need to build on these efforts and outcomes as the basis for establishing a solid foundation for the rejuvenation of the global African family as an instrument of wider renaissance;
REALIZING the imperative of a sustained and coordinated approach and ownership of the African Diaspora related programmes and projects so as to promote their effective implementation and impact;
COMMIT to cooperate in the political, economic and social areas outlined in this Report of the Global African Stakeholders Convention and Programme of Action, and implementation and follow-up modalities.
EXPRESSING our appreciation to Head of Secretariat Dr. Jinmi Adisa for his support in holding the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention.
FUTHERMORE RECOGNIZING that the work of adviser on Diaspora Relations Ms Evelyn Joe in carrying out creation of the the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention and recognition of her skills and outstanding quality of advise and her expressed commitment to the integration and development agenda of Africa and the African Union.
THEREBY at this the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention we agree to adopt, develop and report on the implement the five legacy projects as created in South Africa 25 May 2012 at the first African Diaspora Summit as a way of giving practical meaning to the Diaspora programme and in order to facilitate the post-Summit implementation programme. These are: a) the production of a Skills Database of African Professionals in the Diaspora; b) the establishment of the African Diaspora Volunteers Corps; c) the African Diaspora Investment Fund; d) a programme on the Development Marketplace for the Diaspora, as a framework for facilitating innovation and entrepreneurship among African and Diaspora; and e) The African Remittances Institute.
AGREEMENT between the people of the African Diaspora and ECOSOCC in regards to decisions to the five tasks given unto us the people of Africa in the sixth region, as defined by AU document, on this day November 21st 2015, do hereby give this report to the leadership of the African Union.
1. We have implemented phase I of the task to create the African Diaspora Volunteer Corps at au6.global with the African Civil Society Organizations (CSO). CSO members include but are not limited to:
• Social groups such as those representing women, children, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities and special needs
• Professional groups such as associations of artists, engineers, health practitioners, social workers, media, teachers, sport associations, legal professionals, social scientists, academia, business organisations, national chambers of commerce, workers, employers, industry and agriculture, as well as other private sector interest groups
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs) and voluntary organisations
• Cultural organisations
• Social and professional organisations in the African Diaspora (in accordance with the definition approved by the Executive Council of ECOSOCC).
2. We have created a African Diaspora Skills Database Phase I which is used in the creation of the African Diaspora Volunteer Corps so as to encourage and support the development of an African Union Diaspora Volunteer programme as a framework for associating the Diaspora directly with the development of the continent and which as of this day is in operation at AU6.global.
3. We have created this day the framework for a report to be issued by May 25th 2016 on the African Institute of Remittance based on previous actions of the African Diaspora and organs and officials of the African Union since July 16 2012.
4. We have created this day the framework for a African Investment Fund based on previous actions since July 16 2012 and the business model of the Community Reinvestment Fund which shall serve as a guide in the creation of a global organized with a ownership structure that supports the people of the African Union.
5. We Africans of the Diaspora acknowledge that under Article 11 of the ECOSOCC Statutes there is established 10 Sectoral Cluster Committees as key operational mechanisms to formulate opinions and provide input into AU policies and programmes. The Committees are: Peace and Security; Political Affairs; Infrastructure and Energy; Social Affairs and Health; Human Resources, Science and Technology; Trade and Industry; Rural Economy and Agriculture; Economic Affairs; Women and Gender; and Cross-Cutting Programmes (such as HIV/AIDS, international cooperation and coordination with other AU institutions and organs). The ECOSOCC General Assembly may recommend amendments to the established Sectoral Cluster Committees. We will endeavor have implemented preliminary work on the task to create the Development of a marketplace for African development in line with ECOSOCC Statues and shall report back to assembly not later than May 25th 2016 on the basis of the aforementioned 10 Sectoral Cluster Committees .
We do this work so as to encourage the Diaspora to organize our self in a global network and to establish appropriate mechanisms that will enable our increasing participation in the affairs of the African Union as observers and eventually, in the future, as a sixth region of the continent that would contribute substantially to the implementation of policies and programmes.
Acknowledge the responsibility of the African Diaspora to fund and host rotational AU Diaspora Conference in Africa and in the Diaspora to review the implementation of this Programme of Action.
So we sign as CSO’s and or their representatives
FAU
NFF
So we sign as Individuals
We at FAU then updated this document to the AU’s ECOSOCC as a Minority Report during the Kwanzaa Accords Review of 2015 to read:
WE, signatures to this document do transmit it this day, December 28th 2015, via the appropriate channels to the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, the Caribbean, the America via the OAS and United States of America.
EXPRESSING our appreciation to His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma, the Government and People of the Republic of South Africa and the African Union for the warm reception and for hosting and conducting the first Global African Diaspora Summit May 25th 2012.
RECALLING the objectives and principles enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union;
ADDITIONALLY RECALLING the Protocol on Amendments to the Constitutive Act of the African Union adopted by the First Extra-Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2003, and in particular Article 3(q) which invites the African Diaspora to participate as an important component in the building of the African Union;
RECOGNIZING the need to build sustainable partnerships between the African continent and the African Diaspora through sustainable dialogue and effective collaboration with governments and peoples of different regions of the World in which the Diaspora populations are located;
COGNIZANT of the fact that culture and identity inform all facets of development;
ACKNOWLEDGING the need to celebrate and preserve the shared heritage between Africa and peoples of African descent in the Diaspora;
BEARING IN MIND that the African Diaspora represents a historical and evolving experience which calls for an approach that is sensitive to the specificities of the different regions;
AFFIRMING the need to promote South-South Cooperation as a framework for enhancing mutual development as well as Pan-African Solidarity;
REAFFIRMING the importance of women and youth as important pillars of our society that should be mainstreamed in all Diaspora discourses and actions;
LAUDING the efforts undertaken thus far to support Africa and African Diaspora process including organizational efforts, measures and strategies pursued by the African Union;
FURTHER RECALLING relevant African Union Decisions including Decision EX.CL/Dec. 5 (III) on the Development of the Diaspora Initiative adopted by the Third Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in Maputo, Mozambique, in July 2003, Decision EX.CL/Dec. 221 (VII) on the Africa-Diaspora Process adopted by the Eighth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in January 2006 and Decision EX.CL/Dec. 406 (XII) on the First African Union Diaspora Ministerial Conference adopted by the Twelfth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January2008 on the modalities for Diaspora participation in the organs and activities of the Union and Decision Ass/AU/Dec.205(XI) adopted by the Eleventh Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in July 2008 on the Africa Diaspora Summit, Decision, Ass/AU/Dec 354 (XVI) of the Sixteen Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2011 on the Roadmap for the Diaspora Summit, including the convening of a Technical Experts meeting in Pretoria, South Africa in February 2011 and Decision Ass/AU/Dec 367 (XVII) of the Seventeenth Ordinary Session of Assembly of the Union on the convening of a second Ministerial Conference on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2011 as well as Decision Assembly/AU/Dec. 393(XVIII) endorsing the outcome and conclusions of the Second Ministerial Conference held in New York in September 2011.
ACKNOWLEDGE of the importance to the African Diaspora of the establishment of The Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) under the provision of Articles 5 and 22 of the Constitutive Act;
ACKNOWLEDGING ECOSOCC Statutes, adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2004, define it as an advisory organ composed of different social and professional groups of AU Member States (Assembly/AU/Dec.48 (III)). The first ECOSOCC General Assembly was formally launched on 9 September 2008 in Dar es Salaam, UR of Tanzania.
KNOWLEDGABLE of the Structure of ECOSOCC and that under article 4 of the ECOSOCC Statutes, the Council is composed of 150 CSOs: 1 two CSOs from each Member State; 10 CSOs operating at regional level and eight at continental level; 20 CSOs from the African Diaspora, as defined by the Executive Council and covering the continents of the world; and six CSOs, in ex-officio capacity, nominated by the AU Commission and based on special considerations, in consultation with Member States.
UNDERSTANDING that Article 4 also provides for Member State, regional, continental and Diaspora representatives to be elected on the basis of 50 percent gender equality and 50 percent aged between 18 and 35. Members are elected for four-year terms and may be re-elected once.
CONVINCED that popular participation in the activities of the African Union, as enunciated in the African Charter for Popular Participation, is a prerequisite for its success;
GUIDED by the common vision of a united and strong Africa and by the need to build a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth, the private sector and the African Diaspora, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples;
RECALLING the decision of the ECOSOC Assembly to invite and encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of the Continent, in the building of the African Union.
CONVINCED of the need to build on these efforts and outcomes as the basis for establishing a solid foundation for the rejuvenation of the global African family as an instrument of wider renaissance;
REALIZING the imperative of a sustained and coordinated approach and ownership of the African Diaspora related programmes and projects so as to promote their effective implementation and impact;
COMMIT to cooperate in the political, economic and social areas outlined in this Report of the Global African Stakeholders Convention and Programme of Action, and implementation and follow-up modalities.
PLEASED that at the the inaugural session of the 2nd Permanent General Assembly of ECOSOCC that commenced in Nairobi on 21 December 2014 that the assembly then elected Mr. Joseph Chilengi of the Africa Internally Displaced Persons Voice of Zambia as its Presiding Officer. He was sworn in formally into office on 22nd December 2014 at a ceremony attended by Her Excellency, Ms. Amina Mohammed, the Cabinet Secretary of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Kenya and H.E. Mr. Erastus Mwencha, the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission.
THANKING for his attendance at the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention ECOSOCC Presiding Officer Joeseph Chilengi.
EXPRESSING our appreciation to Head of Secretariat Dr. Jinmi Adisa for his support in holding the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention.
FUTHERMORE RECOGNIZING that the work of adviser on Diaspora Relations Ms Evelyn Joe in carrying out creation of the the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention and recognition of her skills and outstanding quality of advise and her expressed commitment to the integration and development agenda of Africa and the African Union.
THEREBY at this the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention we agree to adopt, develop and report on the implement the five legacy projects as created in South Africa 25 May 2012 at the first Global African Diaspora Summit as a way of giving practical meaning to the Diaspora programme and in order to facilitate the post-Summit implementation programme. These are: a) the production of a Skills Database of African Professionals in the Diaspora; b) the establishment of the African Diaspora Volunteers Corps; c) the African Diaspora Investment Fund; d) a programme on the Development Marketplace for the Diaspora, as a framework for facilitating innovation and entrepreneurship among African and Diaspora; and e) The African Remittances Institute.
AGREEMENT between the people of the African Diaspora and ECOSOCC in regards to decisions to the five tasks given unto us the people of Africa in the sixth region, as defined by AU document, on this day November 21st 2015, do hereby give this report to the leadership of the African Union.
1. We have implemented phase I of the task to create the African Diaspora Volunteer Corps at au6.global with the African Civil Society Organizations (CSO). CSO members include but are not limited to:
• Social groups such as those representing women, children, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities and special needs
• Professional groups such as associations of artists, engineers, health practitioners, social workers, media, teachers, sport associations, legal professionals, social scientists, academia, business organisations, national chambers of commerce, workers, employers, industry and agriculture, as well as other private sector interest groups
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs) and voluntary organisations
• Cultural organisations
• Social and professional organisations in the African Diaspora (in accordance with the definition approved by the Executive Council of ECOSOCC).
2. We have created an African Diaspora Skills Database Phase I which is used in the creation of the African Diaspora Volunteer Corps so as to encourage and support the development of an African Union Diaspora Volunteer programme as a framework for associating the Diaspora directly with the development of the continent and which as of this day is in operation at AU6.global.
3. We have created this day the framework for a report to be issued by May 25th 2016 on the African Institute of Remittance based on previous actions of the African Diaspora and organs and officials of the African Union since July 16 2012.
4. We have created this day the framework for an African Investment Fund based on previous actions since July 16 2012 and will use the business model of the American Community Reinvestment Fund as a guide in the creation of a global organization with an ownership structure that supports the people of the African Union. Each African country shall own 1% of the African Investment Fund through an in country public private partnership in which that countries African Union qualified civil society shall own at least 30% and the government through a private public partnership shall own up to 30%.
5. We Africans of the Diaspora acknowledge that under Article 11 of the ECOSOCC Statutes there is established 10 Sectoral Cluster Committees as key operational mechanisms to formulate opinions and provide input into AU policies and programmes. The Committees are: Peace and Security; Political Affairs; Infrastructure and Energy; Social Affairs and Health; Human Resources, Science and Technology; Trade and Industry; Rural Economy and Agriculture; Economic Affairs; Women and Gender; and Cross-Cutting Programmes (such as HIV/AIDS, international cooperation and coordination with other AU institutions and organs). The ECOSOCC General Assembly may recommend amendments to the established Sectoral Cluster Committees. We will establish these operations in an organization which meets all of the requirements of ECOSOCC and will act in accordance with Article 5 Election of Members “African Diaspora organizations shall establish an appropriate process for determining modalities for elections by May 25th 2016 so as to elect twenty (20) CSOs (individuals only represent organizations) to the ECOSOCC General Assembly”.
The elections of the members of ECOSOCC at Member State, regional, continental and Diaspora levels shall ensure fifty percent (50%) gender equality provided that fifty percent (50%) of the representatives of the members shall consist of youths between the ages of 18 to 35
According to Article 6 Eligibility Requirements for Membership (ECOSOCC) The requirements to be fulfilled by CSOs (such as we propose) seeking membership are as follows:
1. Be national, regional, continental or African Diaspora CSO, without restriction to undertake regional or international activities.
2. Have objectives and principles that are consistent with the principles and objectives of the Union as set out in Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitutive Act.
3. Registration and status: a) Be registered in a Member State of the Union and/or; b) Meet the general conditions of eligibility for the granting of Observer Status to non-governmental organizations; c) Show a minimum of three (3) years proof of registration as either an African or an African Diaspora CSO prior to the date of submission of application, including proof of operations for those years.
4. Provide annual audit statements by an independent auditing company.
5. Show proof that the ownership and management of the CSO is made up of not less than fifty (50%) of Africans or of African Diaspora.
6. The basic resources of such an Organization shall substantially, at least fifty percent (50%), be derived from contributions of the members of the Organization. Where external voluntary contributions have been received, their amounts and donors shall be faithfully revealed in the application for membership. Any financial or other support or contribution, direct or indirect, from a government to the Organization shall be declared and fully recorded in the financial records of the Organization
7. Provide information on funding sources in the preceding three (3) years.
8. For regional and continental CSOs, show proof of activities that engage or are operative in at least three (3) Member States of the Union.
9. CSOs that discriminate on the basis of religion, gender, tribe, ethnic, racial or political basis shall be barred from representation to ECOSOCC;
10.Adherence to a Code of Ethics and Conduct for civil society organizations affiliated to or working with the (African) Union.
We will endeavor to have implemented preliminary work on the task to create the Development of a marketplace for African development in line with ECOSOCC Statues and shall report back to assembly not later than May 25th 2016 on the basis of the aforementioned 10 Sectoral Cluster Committees.
Friends of the African Union Operational Principles adopted by the Friends of the African Union on November 19th 2012.
We support the African Union [AU], it’s constitutive act and the history of the predecessor organization the Organisation of African Unity [OAU].
We support the recognition of the African Diaspora globally and legally by the AU.
We support the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its application to Africans and their condition worldwide.
We support the UN Millennium Development Goals for Africa and the economic-social uplift of Africans on the continent and in the African Diaspora as well work of the African Union in regards to increasing trade between African Nations and will incorporate the work of the International Year for People of African Descent [2011] as it was designated by the UN and Organization of American States.
We support the strategy and agenda of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) and through organization of African American Civil Society we support the legacy projects and continuing efforts to strengthen the Global African Diaspora Initiative of the AU.
We support Peace, Security and basic human dignity within Africa and around the globe, with an emphasis on stopping slavery in the AU and the African Diaspora.
We support the organization of African and peoples of African descent self-interest and uplift through a committee structure and take responsibility for organizing such in the United States of America.
We support the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) of 2000 and by 2014 the creation of a new plan between the United States of America and the African Union that is supportive of the African Diaspora in the USA and would be sustainable not only in Africa but also in the host countries of the African Diaspora.
We support political empowerment of Africans as individual citizens and in free associations on cooperation and solidarity in the continent and in Diaspora.
We support the creation of the African American Diaspora Holding Company & Investment Trust who will start with creating a financial solution in response to the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy through the US Federal Reserve and its banks.
IN ADDITION based on the 1st Global African Diaspora Convention that we will conduct a global tour based on the conversations with Ms. Joe before the first Global Africa Diaspora Convention. The name of this Tour will be the Sons and Daughters of Africa Tour a tour of the people of the African Union Diaspora. It is to be focused on spreading the word of the implementation of the African Union Global Diaspora Summit of 2912 and our joint agenda in Africa 2063.
The Sons and Daughters of Africa Tour is also meant to sensitized the Africans of the African Unions sixth region with the African Union with the organizations and its 50 years plan Agenda 2063. It will give the Diaspora sessions in the shared values that are to be used for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa driven by her own people. It is also to mark the historic milestone of welcome of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council to the Diaspora in collaborative efforts to engage stakeholders in opportunities and the development of Africa.
So we sign as CSO’s and or their representatives
Friends of the African Union
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Chairman, Hershel Daniels, Junior, African Scientific Institute Fellow (ASI Fellow)
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Friends of the African Union
Chamber of Commerce
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Chairman His Royal Majesty King Joseph DuBois
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Friends of the African Union Mighty Forefront
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Commanding Officer, Marshon Kincy
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Sons and Daughters of Africa Tour
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President, Yonah El
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Five Points Youth Foundation
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Andrew Williams
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Robert Lee Harris Institute
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Robert Lee Harris
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Carlton Brown Foundation
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Carlton Brown
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ECOSOCC was established under the provisions of articles 5 and 22 of the AU Constitutive Act. Its Statutes, adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2004, define it as an advisory organ composed of different social and professional groups of AU Member States (Assembly/AU/ Dec.48(III)).
ECOSOCC’s mandate includes:
- Contributing, through advice, to the effective translation of the AU’s objectives, principles and policies into concrete programmes, as well as evaluating those programmes
- Undertaking studies and making recommendations
- Contributing to the promotion and realisation of the AU’s vision and objectives
- Contributing to the promotion of human rights, the rule of law, good governance, democratic principles, gender equality and child rights
- Promoting and supporting the efforts of institutions engaged in reviewing the future of Africa and forging pan-African values in order to enhance an African social model and way of life
- Fostering and consolidating partnership between the AU and CSOs
- Assuming functions referred to it by other AU organs.
Under article 4 of the ECOSOCC Statutes, the Council is composed of 150 CSO’s: two CSOs from each Member State as of 52; 10 CSOs operating at regional level and eight at continental level; 20 CSOs from the African Diaspora, as defined by the Executive Council and covering the continents of the world; and six CSOs, in ex-officio capacity, nominated by the AU Commission and based on special considerations, in consultation with Member States.
Article 4 also provides for Member State, regional, continental and Diaspora representatives to be elected on the basis of 50 percent gender equality and 50 percent aged between 18 and 35.
Members are elected for four-year terms and may be re-elected once.
The start of this was the Negro Convention Movement of 1830
This came as a result of organizational effort known as the Negro Convention Movement. In September 1830, black representatives from seven states convened in Philadelphia at the Bethel AME church for the first Negro Convention. A civic meeting, it was the first on such a scale organized by African-American leaders. Allen presided over the meeting, which addressed both regional and national topics. The convention occurred after the 1826 and 1829 riots in Cincinnati, when whites had attacked blacks and destroyed their businesses. After the 1829 rioting, 1200 blacks had left the city to go to Canada. As a result, the Negro Convention addressed organizing aid to such settlements in Canada, among other issues. The 1830 meeting was the beginning of an organizational effort known as the Negro Convention Movement, part of 19th-century institution building in the black community.
A DRAFT Declaration was issued on July 28th 2019 for the operationalizing the African Diaspora Directorate
RECALLING the objectives and principles enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union;
ADDITIONALLY RECALLING the Protocol on Amendments to the Constitutive Act of the African Union adopted by the First Extra-Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2003, and in particular Article 3(q) which invites the African Diaspora to participate as an important component in the building of the African Union;
RECOGNIZING the need to build sustainable partnerships between the African continent and the African Diaspora through sustainable dialogue and effective collaboration with governments and peoples of different regions of the World in which the Diaspora populations are located;
COGNIZANT of the fact that culture and identity inform all facets of development;
ACKNOWLEDGING the need to celebrate and preserve the shared heritage between Africa and peoples of African descent in the Diaspora;
BEARING IN MIND that the African Diaspora represents a historical and evolving experience which calls for an approach that is sensitive to the specificities of the different regions;
AFFIRMING the need to promote South-South Cooperation as a framework for enhancing mutual development as well as Pan-African Solidarity;
REAFFIRMING the importance of women and youth as important pillars of our society that should be mainstreamed in all Diaspora discourses and actions;
LAUDING the efforts undertaken thus far to support Africa and African Diaspora process including organizational efforts, measures and strategies pursued by the African Union;
FURTHER RECALLING relevant African Union Decisions including Decision EX.CL/Dec. 5 (III) on the Development of the Diaspora Initiative adopted by the Third Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in Maputo, Mozambique, in July 2003, Decision EX.CL/Dec. 221 (VII) on the Africa-Diaspora Process adopted by the Eighth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in January 2006 and Decision EX.CL/Dec. 406 (XII) on the First African Union Diaspora Ministerial Conference adopted by the Twelfth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January2008 on the modalities for Diaspora participation in the organs and activities of the Union and Decision Ass/AU/Dec.205(XI) adopted by the Eleventh Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in July 2008 on the Africa Diaspora Summit, Decision, Ass/AU/Dec 354 (XVI) of the Sixteen Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2011 on the Roadmap for the Diaspora Summit, including the convening of a Technical Experts meeting in Pretoria, South Africa in February 2011 and Decision Ass/AU/Dec 367 (XVII) of the Seventeenth Ordinary Session of Assembly of the Union on the convening of a second Ministerial Conference on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2011 as well as Decision Assembly/AU/Dec. 393(XVIII) endorsing the outcome and conclusions of the Second Ministerial Conference held in New York in September 2011.
ACKNOWLEDGE of the importance to the African Diaspora of the establishment of The Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) under the provision of Articles 5 and 22 of the Constitutive Act;
ACKNOWLEDGING ECOSOCC Statutes, adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2004, define it as an advisory organ composed of different social and professional groups of AU Member States (Assembly/AU/Dec.48 (III)). The first ECOSOCC General Assembly was formally launched on 9 September 2008 in Dar es Salaam, UR of Tanzania.
KNOWLEDGABLE of the Structure of ECOSOCC and that under article 4 of the ECOSOCC Statutes, the Council is composed of 150 CSOs: 1 two CSOs from each Member State; 10 CSOs operating at regional level and eight at continental level; 20 CSOs from the African Diaspora, as defined by the Executive Council and covering the continents of the world; and six CSOs, in ex-officio capacity, nominated by the AU Commission and based on special considerations, in consultation with Member States.
UNDERSTANDING that Article 4 also provides for Member State, regional, continental and Diaspora representatives to be elected on the basis of 50 percent gender equality and 50 percent aged between 18 and 35. Members are elected for four-year terms and may be re-elected once.
CONVINCED that popular participation in the activities of the African Union, as enunciated in the African Charter for Popular Participation, is a prerequisite for its success;
GUIDED by the common vision of a united and strong Africa and by the need to build a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth, the private sector and the African Diaspora, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples;
RECALLING the decision of the Assembly to invite and encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of the Continent, in the building of the African Union.
CONVINCED of the need to build on these efforts and outcomes as the basis for establishing a solid foundation for the rejuvenation of the global African family as an instrument of wider renaissance;
REALIZING the imperative of a sustained and coordinated approach and ownership of the African Diaspora related programmes and projects so as to promote their effective implementation and impact;
COMMIT to cooperate in the political, economic and social areas outlined in this Report of the Global African Stakeholders Convention and Programme of Action, and implementation and follow-up modalities.
EXPRESSING our appreciation to Head of Secretariat Dr. Jinmi Adisa for his support in holding the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention.
FUTHERMORE RECOGNIZING that the work of adviser on Diaspora Relations Ms Evelyn Joe in carrying out creation of the the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention and recognition of her skills and outstanding quality of advise and her expressed commitment to the integration and development agenda of Africa and the African Union.
THEREBY based on actions that started at the Global African Diaspora Stakeholders Convention in 2015 we agree to adopt, develop and report on the implement the five legacy projects as created in South Africa 25 May 2012 at the first African Diaspora Summit as a way of giving practical meaning to the Diaspora programme and in order to facilitate the post-Summit implementation programme. These are:
a) the production of a Skills Database of African Professionals in the Diaspora;
b) the establishment of the African Diaspora Volunteers Corps;
c) the African Diaspora Investment Fund;
d) a programme on the Development Marketplace for the Diaspora, as a framework for facilitating innovation and entrepreneurship among African and Diaspora; and,
e) The African Remittances Institute.
WITH THIS DECLARATION between the people of the African Diaspora in the United States of America in regards to decisions to the five tasks given unto us the people of Africa in the sixth region, as defined by AU document and subsequent actions of the governments of the African Union and the United States of America and on this day July 28th 2019 we do hereby give out through this declaration for others in African Diaspora to join us in operationalizing the African Diaspora Directorate with these following operating principles:
1. We have implemented phase I of the task to create the African Diaspora Volunteer Corps with the African Civil Society Organizations (CSO). CSO members include but are not limited to:
• Social groups such as those representing women, children, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities and special needs
• Professional groups such as associations of artists, engineers, health practitioners, social workers, media, teachers, sports associations, legal professionals, social scientists, academia, business organizations, national chambers of commerce, workers, employers, industry, and agriculture, as well as other private sector interest groups
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs) and voluntary organizations
• Cultural organizations
• Social and professional organizations in the African Diaspora (in accordance with the definition approved by the Executive Council of ECOSOCC).
2. We have created a African Diaspora Directorate Skills Database Phase I which is used in the creation of the African Diaspora Volunteer Corps so as to encourage and support the development of an African Union Diaspora Volunteer programme as a framework for associating the Diaspora directly with the development of the continent and which as of this day is in operation at AfricanDiasporaDirectorate.com
3. We have created this day the framework for a report to be issued by August 25th, 2019 on the African Diaspora Directorate Institute of Remittance based on previous actions of the African Diaspora and organs and officials of the African Union since May 25th, 2012 and The African Continental Free Trade Area.
4. We have created this day the framework for an African Diaspora Directorate Investment Fund based on previous actions since July 16, 2012, and the business model of the Community Reinvestment Fund which shall serve as a guide in the creation of a global organized with an ownership structure that supports the people of African Descent worldwide.
5. We support the United States of America Constitution, the African Union [AU], it’s constitutive act and the history of the predecessor organization the Organisation of African Unity [OAU].
6. We support the recognition of the African Diaspora globally and legally by the AU.
7. We are Africans of the Diaspora who acknowledge that under Article 11 of the ECOSOCC Statutes there is established 10 Sectoral Cluster Committees as key operational mechanisms to formulate opinions and provide input into AU policies and programmes. The Committees are: Peace and Security; Political Affairs; Infrastructure and Energy; Social Affairs and Health; Human Resources, Science and Technology; Trade and Industry; Rural Economy and Agriculture; Economic Affairs; Women and Gender; and Cross-Cutting Programmes (such as HIV/AIDS, international cooperation and coordination with other AU institutions and organs). The ECOSOCC General Assembly may recommend amendments to the established Sectoral Cluster Committees. We will endeavor have implemented preliminary work on the task to create the Development of a marketplace for African development in line with ECOSOCC Statues and shall report back to assembly not later than May 25th 2016 on the basis of the aforementioned 10 Sectoral Cluster Committees .
We do this work so as to encourage the Diaspora to organize our self in a global network and to establish appropriate mechanisms that will enable our increasing participation in the affairs of the African Union as observers and eventually, in the future, as a sixth region of the continent that would contribute substantially to the implementation of policies and programmes.
8. We support the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its application to Africans and their condition worldwide.
9. We support the UN Sustainable Development Goalsfor Africa and the economic-social uplift of Africans on the continent and in the African Diaspora as well work of the African Union in regards to increasing trade between African Nations and will incorporate the work of the International Year for People of African Descent [2011] as it was designated by the UN and Organization of American States.
10. We support the strategy and agenda of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) and through organization of African American Civil Society we support the legacy projects and continuing efforts to strengthen the Global African Diaspora Initiative of the AU.
11. We support Peace, Security and basic human dignity within Africa and around the globe, with an emphasis on stopping slavery in the AU and the African Diaspora.
12. We support the organization of African and peoples of African descent self-interest and uplift through a committee structure and take responsibility for organizing such in the United States of America.
13. We support the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) of 2000 and its ten year update and will work through the African Diaspora Directorate in the creation of a new plan between the United States of America, the African Union and African Nations that is supportive of the African Diaspora in the USA.
14. We support political empowerment of Africans as individual citizens and in free associations on cooperation and solidarity in the continent and in Diaspora.
15. We support the creation of the African Diaspora Directorate African Dollar Council who will start operations by September 11th in creating a financial technology solution in response to the damage caused by man and nature through the US Federal Reserve and its banks and the central banks of the nations of the African Union.