1. Post 2015: Agenda – Diaspora Perspectives
NIDOS Annual Seminar
Glasgow, 17th
September 2013

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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