It is estimated that around 1,000,000 people of African descent live in Germany. The African diaspora reflects the diversity of the continent and acts as a bridge builder between Germany and its African partners. For many African economies, the diaspora is the largest donor. Germany also sends 1.5 billion euros in remittances to the continent. Studies also show that the diaspora is becoming increasingly involved in development policy.
For political decision-makers, this offers the opportunity to use the knowledge of the diaspora profitably for successful and sustainable German-African cooperation and to receive new food for thought for German Africa policy. However, the potential of the African diaspora is not yet fully exploited.
How can it be achieved that actors of the diaspora get involved in the Africa policy discourse and corresponding decision-making processes? What does the current cooperation between various ministries and the African diaspora look like in the context of German Africa policy? What successes have there been on the way to greater involvement of the diaspora and where are the challenges?
These and other questions are the focus of the event to which the Afro-German Academic Network (ADAN e.V.) and the German Africa Foundation (DAS) cordially invite you. The event is the start of a multi-stage process to develop recommendations for a more targeted cooperation between African Diaspora and German Africa policy.
Programme:
Welcome Remarks:
Alhaji Allie Bangura, Founder and Board, ADAN e.V.
David Schwake, Secretary General, German Africa Foundation
Inputs and Discussion:
Dr Sonja Kreibich, Head of Division 320 – Policy Issues Sub-Saharan Africa, German Federal Foreign Office
Guenter Nooke, Personal Africa Commissioner of the Federal Chancellor and Africa Commissioner at the BMZ
Dr Frithjof Maennel, Head of Division 21 “International Cooperation in Education and Research”, BMBF
Akinola Famson, Member of the Board, Central Council of the African Community in Germany e.V.
Moderation:
Joseph Langner, Member of the Diaspora Engagement Working Group, ADAN e.V. & Lead Operations, JoinPolitics.
