Post 2015: Agenda – Diaspora PerspectivesNIDOS Annual Seminar

Glasgow, 17th September 2013

Africa-UK Introduction

The AFFORD (African Foundation for Development ) is a pioneering diaspora organisation with over 19 years of experience of migration and development issues.

AFFORD currently implements the Africa-UK programme, alongside four delivery partners, including The African Council/NIDOS, our partners here in Scotland.

Africa-UK is a strand of Comic Relief’s Common Ground Initiative, it supports UK based diaspora Africans to influence policy and practice affecting the development of Africa.

Post 2015 and Diaspora

• Africa-UK has played an important role in the diaspora’s engagement with the Post 2015 process - providing an overarching analysis and perspective

• AFFORD have also been involved another engagement track: Through the UN High Level Dialogue process

- focusing on concrete diaspora involvement in the MDGs

EC-Submission

• The Africa-UK diaspora consultation and anaylsis included– the establishment of a drafting committee of diaspora policy experts– an open meeting on 16th August 2012 – circulation of a draft text for further amendments– The final document, endorsed by 65 UK-based African organisations and

individuals, was submitted to the EC Public Consultation, Towards a post-2015 development framework.

• The submission draws on recommendations made by African representatives who were part of the workshop, Toward an African Position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, plus ideas advanced by African think tanks such as ACET – the African Center for Economic Transformation.

Diaspora MDG Conclusions

• Recognition of limits of MDGs•Countries like China that have successfully pulled millions out of poverty focused on structural transformation (ST) – which tackles the underlying issues of development, vulnerability and poverty

ST Critical Enablers • Institutional capacity development: • Domestic resource mobilization: de-emphasizing aid, encouraging domestic funding,

thus enhancing ownership and accountability at the community, national and global level:

• Social inclusiveness and equality, especially gender: • Governance and leadership: strong leadership, good governance, and political will

necessary to achieve development goals • Peace and Security: a basic precondition for economic and social• Regional integration and trade networks must be in place. • Infrastructure development: adequate infrastructure roads, electricity, water supply,

[information technology] etc are necessary to implement the goals and targets • Strong Global cooperation and partnerships

Diaspora Role in ST

-Investment - $40 Billion in remittances to Africa ($500 Billion globally), 2011/12- Skills and Knowledge- Target – 8 to be globally recognised as a global partner

2nd UN-HLDMD & 2015

- As part of a civil society grouping, AFFORD participated in the first UN High Level Dialogue (UNHLDMD) and the subsequent Global Forum for Migration and Development (GFMD) and will attend the 2nd UNHLDMD on 2-3 October in New York. - Early build up meetings GFMD conference in Mauritius developed a Five-Year Action Agenda adopted at the World Social Forum on Migration in the Philippines (November 2012) – highlighting the nexus between migration and development

Emerging Framework

- However, the emerging David Cameron led Post 2015 framework of the High Level Panel of Eminent Persons, ‘A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies Through Sustainable Development’ made no substantive reference to this key development factor. - A basic mention of ‘international migration’ is made in an 82-word paragraph under the heading of ‘The Global Impact by 2030’. - Furthermore, under its fifth transformative shift of ‘forging a new global partnership’, the Report listed a number of global partners but again omitted to explicitly mention migrants and diasporas.

Diaspora Response- the Diaspora Ministerial Conference at Geneva organised by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on 18-19 May 2013. - Further consultations at African Diaspora and Development Day on July 5th at Chatham House - Final recommendations developed at the Preparatory meeting of over 300 organisations on 13-14th July - The recommendations were presented at the United Nations Informal Interactive Hearing on International Development and Migration on 15 July 2013, convened by the President of the General Assembly.

Diaspora Recommendations

• Recommendation I: • The role of the diaspora and migrants in development should be included

as a prominent feature in any post 2015 agenda. The diaspora and migrants should be formally and distinctly recognised and mentioned as an important global partner for development, in line with other major partners.

• Recommendation II:

• The positive nexus between migration and sustainable development should be included as a prominent feature in any post 2015 agenda. Migration should be rightfully recognised as an option and choice for people across the world, and a significant factor in global development

Next Steps• The main activities leading to the implementation of these recommendations

include, amongst other things:

• Written endorsement by the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as part of the 2013 UN High Level Dialogue for Migration and International Development

• Engagement and dialogue with the secretariat and panel of eminent persons

• Written endorsement and continued representations and submissions by ‘sponsoring’ states and other supporters

• Continued engagement with states, civil society and diaspora organisations and

other stakeholders.

Get Involved

If you want to get involved with Africa-UK then you can contact us on:onyekachi@afford-uk.org

In Scotland, Africa UK: Norman Chipakupaku norman@nidos.org.uk

Visit us on: www.africa-uk.org