An important and opportune event

Invite and encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of our Continent, in the building of the African Union

The African Union’s draft consensus definition of the African Diaspora considers it as "[consisting] of people of African origin living outside the continent, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality and who are willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the African Union."

In a new Article 3 (q), adopted in February 2003, the African Union Constitutive Act declares that the organisation shall "invite and encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of our Continent, in the building of the African Union."

The African Union has mandated South Africa to present in the first half of 2008 the African Union-African Diaspora Summit at the level of Heads of State and Government. The theme of the Summit is :

“Towards the realisation of a united and integrated Africa and its Diaspora : A shared vision for sustainable development to address common challenges.”

The essential objective of the Summit is to produce a practical programme of action for co-operation between the continent and its Diaspora.

The final Summit will rest on the results achieved at a series of Regional Consultative Conferences. Such conferences have already taken place in Brazil for Latin America, London for the United Kingdom and New York for North America, while others are still to be held in the Bahamas for the Caribbean and Addis Ababa for Africa.

In consultation with the African Union it has been decided that the Regional Consultative Conference for the African Diaspora in Europe will take place at the Palais de Congres in Paris on 11 and 12 September 2007 in Paris.

The objective will be to bring together approximately 150 representatives from the African Diaspora in France and 200 representatives from the rest of Europe, in particular the eight other European countries with significant Diaspora communities (excluding the United Kingdom), to consult on a number of issues of particular concern to the Diaspora in Europe. The other main contributing countries are Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

It is envisaged that the South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, other Ministers and senior representatives from the African Union will also attend the Conference in Paris.

The outcomes of all the Regional Consultative Conferences will be consolidated by an International Working Group of Experts for submission to an international meeting of Diaspora civil society and an African Ministerial Meeting, who will in its turn propose a communiqué and a working programme for consideration by the African Heads of State and Government at the Summit itself.

Waiting of the RCC 2007

Encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora...

1- Plenary 1 : The African Diaspora in Europe :

The plenary should discuss the practical implications of the new Article 3 (q) of the African Union Constitutive Act, adopted in February 2003, which declares that the organisation shall "invite and encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of our Continent, in the building of the African Union."

In this regard the plenary should inter alia focus on :

The composition and characteristics of the African Diaspora in Europe, the nature of a relationship between the Diaspora in Europe with the continent,

The consolidation of the Diaspora, and its structures and -processes to promote communication and co-operation with Africa,

A joint Africa-African Diaspora partnership and programme for sustainable development, including the desirability of a possible AU decision to declare the Diaspora as the Sixth Region of the continent,

The mechanisms to establish a representative Diaspora Secretariat/contact point/representative forum to co-ordinate activities of the Diaspora in Europe and the AU-Diaspora Programme of Action for Europe.

2- The Plenary 2 : Media and image building :

The plenary should explore mechanisms for the sustained engagement of the media and for effective communication in Europe to promote a balanced view of Africans and the continent. In this regard the plenary should focus on :

Building a co-ordinated approach to monitoring and engaging the media in Europe,

Developing the capacity of the African media in Europe,

Building partnerships between the African media and media groups/organisations in the Diaspora,

Building a partnership with the AU and the media in Europe to profile African challenges, African initiatives, African leaders and African successes.

The aim of the RCC 2007

Identify achievable short term and long term objectives...

The overall aim of the RCC is to produce a shared vision for sustainable development for the African continent. In this particular case, it is the development of a shared partnership and programme of action between the AU and the African Diaspora in Europe.

This RCC should achieve the following goals :

The RCC should identify achievable short term and long term objectives that demonstrate concrete, tangible collaborations, partnerships and support between the AU, the continent and the Diaspora. These should be plans of action that address the challenges identified under the following Themes and Commissions.

Develop and establish sustainable partnerships between and amongst members of the Diaspora and the AU.

Develop sustainable dialogue between members of the Diaspora united by the mandate of the AU to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the AU.

Through the medium of the RCC, to negotiate the terms of reciprocity between Diaspora and the AU – outlining how we will work together, identify what projects and processes will facilitate this and establish what the Diaspora can do to promote the African Agenda.

Days and Timing of the Conference

Regional Consultative Conference for the African Diaspora in Europe

1- Timing of the Conference :

The Regional Consultative Conference for the African Diaspora in Europe will take place at the Palais de Congres in Paris on :

11 September 2007 : Timing : 8h30 to 21h00

12 September 2007 : Timming : 9h00 to 17h00

150 representatives from the African Diaspora in France and 200 representatives from the rest of Europe, in particular the eight other European countries with significant Diaspora communities (excluding the United Kingdom), to consult on a number of issues of particular concern to the Diaspora in Europe.

The other main contributing countries are Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

It is envisaged that the South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, other Ministers and senior representatives from the African Union will also attend the Conference in Paris.

2- The Palais des Congrès :

An exemplary setting for exceptional events, the Palais des Congrès is located at the crossroads of Parisian life. Since its creation by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1974, it has played an important role in the economic life and cultural development of the French capital.

Expanded and renovated in 1999, the Palais des Congrès is woven into the texture of Paris’ urban life, adding shadow and light, stability and movement, symmetry and asymmetry, black-and-white and colour, all balancing each other out according to the "poetry of contrasts".

This balance gives the Palais des Congrès de Paris its identity and contributes to its international renown.

Programme of the Conference

Promote communication and co-operation with Africa...

The Regional Consultative Conference will consist of a formal opening session in plenary on the morning of 11 September, which will be addressed by the South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, a representative of the African Union, a representative of the Carribean and a representative of the African Diaspora in Europe.

The opening session will be followed by a panel discussion, still in plenary, on the African Diaspora in Europe, which will consider the nature and composition of the African Diaspora in Europe, the consolidation of Diaspora structures, and processes to promote communication and co-operation with Africa.

It will therefore aim to discuss the modalities of a joint AU-African Diaspora partnership and programme for sustainable development.

The conference will then break into seven commissions that will consider the following specific themes during the afternoon of 11 September :

Global dialogue, international relations peace and security

Economic Co-operation and Sustainable Development

Historical, socio-cultural and religious commonalities and challenges

Women and children

Knowledge sharing

Health and disability

Youth and development

Discover the conference programm

Participation of the conference

Built long term programme of co-operation between the African Diaspora and the continent

Unfortunately it is not possible to include all those with an interest in Africa and who wish to contribute to the continent’s development.

There is space for only about 150 representatives from the African Diaspora in France and 200 representatives from the rest of Europe.

The Steering Committee which has been established for the Regional Consultative Conference, consisting of representative Embassies from the five regions of Africa and of Diaspora representatives, has endeavoured to identify Diaspora associations with an active interest and proven competence in the development of the continent.

The South African Embassies accredited to the eight other countries have been charged with co-ordinating the participation by the Diaspora based in those countries and have been following a similar process to identify associations to attend and invitations will soon be issued.

It is critical to emphasise that the Regional Consultative Conference on 11 and 12 September is a beginning, not a conclusion, a means and not an end in itself.

What is important is the long term programme of co-operation between the African Diaspora and the continent and the manner in which members of the Diaspora in Europe engage with it over the long term.