The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has urged Africa and its Diasporas to project the continent in a positive light.
Buhari stated this at the 2nd Global African Diaspora Symposium ‘Building Stronger Connections between Africa’ held in Abuja on Thursday.
The President represented by the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, said hosting of the African Diaspora Symposium was historic and in tune with the current global realities.
He said, “Today presents another milestone in the history of our nation in hosting Africans and its Diaspora. The choice of Nigeria as its host is timely and historic in the face of our political transition to a new government presently.
“This symposium is the 2nd in the series and talks about some very key objectives such as creating an interface for networking among Africans and other Diasporas around the world.
“To also promote the implementation and institutionalization of Pan-Africanism at the United Nations through the celebration of the International decade for people of African descent, hoping that it becomes a platform for the promotion of the global Diaspora as a key resource for positively projecting Africa.
“This is why the theme of this symposium is apt and in tune with the current realities of the global scene.”
Buhari said it was very necessary for Africans to connect and lay down strategic frameworks to address challenges arising.
The President noted “It is empirical for Africans at home and in the Diaspora to connect and build a common front and also lay down strategic frameworks to address the challenges arising in the new world.
“The best approach to connect the Diaspora for sustainable development is to harness its vast materials and resources whether in the continent or in the Diaspora.
“It is expected that the objectives of this symposium lead to outcomes that portray the entire African Diaspora, a sense of belonging with an ease of entering and movement of the Diaspora into and around Africa.”
In her opening remarks, the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa said that the Symposium will create an interface between Africa and the Diaspora for the sole purpose of maximizing partnership and collaboration.
Dabiri-Erewa added, “The Symposium is designed to address and proffer workable solutions to Africa’s most pressing issues and offers concrete strategies as well as the needed affiliation between key Diaspora leaders in government, business, the private sector, and the professions, with leaders on the African continent, so as to achieve successful results.”
Speaking also at the event, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada said “The symposium is taking place at a promising time. I appreciate the theme of the symposium.
“The World Bank estimates that by 2040, there will be more than 400 million international migrants with Africans having a larger number. We cannot think about our society, economy, innovations, science and technology breakthroughs without thinking about Africans in the Diaspora.”
Source: punchng.com