Africa’s diaspora needs a bigger role
The continent needs more than remittances and goodwill from Africans abroad.
The African diaspora holds immense potential for the continent's development, but its value may be underestimated. With nearly 4.8 million members in the US alone, tripling since 2000, these individuals are outpacing other immigrant and native populations in educational attainment. Yinka points out that this group should transition from passive engagement to active participation, serving as an "economic bridge" connecting Africa and global markets.
Trade lawyer Ufo Eric-Atuanya argues that the diaspora should originate companies, structure investments, build supply chains, and develop infrastructure, rather than merely providing cash for projects initiated elsewhere. The potential of diaspora engineers in Africa's burgeoning space industry exemplifies this concept, but the paper warns that this engagement cannot replace domestic capabilities.
It is crucial to move beyond mere invitations, solicitations, and mentorship opportunities, and instead focus on giving diaspora professionals meaningful roles in building the institutions and infrastructure necessary for African economies. While remittances substantially surpass foreign direct investment and developmental aid, the ultimate aim should be to make African diaspora members active participants in creating the capacity that eventually reduces their participation's necessity.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
