What we do Diaspora part of the Picture

What we do…………… Diaspora part of the Picture – Not the picture Human Resource - Skills • • Mobilisation Foreign Direct Investments African’s in Africa Diaspora ↓ Expats Engagement of all stakeholders at policy and operational level Remittances Investment ……………. Build Links, Establish Partnership

Background Human Resources/Skills Remittances/Investment § § § § 5 Human Resource (HR) forums Healthcare mobilisation forum Conducted in-depth surveys of Brain drain Developed a regional wide HR ENewsletter Database of Skills, Advertised over 12, 000 jobs in 5 years 3 International career/recruitment fair’s inside and outside Africa Return of over 500 Africans in the Diaspora/year and retained skills within Africa § § 4 Diaspora Investment/Consultative Forum’s Conducted in-depth surveys of over 3, 000 Diaspora on remittances and Investments Facilitated and supported numerous Diaspora investment/business conferences in Europe/North America Showcase success stories "When Africa. Recruit was launched in 2002, I provided an endorsement in the firm belief that its objectives were not only noble but also realizable. Since then, the initiative has performed creditably and become a key part of the NEPAD programme to mobilize quality skills for Africa. “ H. E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President Federal Republic of Nigeria

BENEFITS DEPENDENCY NETWORK Individually necessary, collectively sufficient Transnational working From Paper to E working Timely flow of pertinent information Employers HR best practices Broader view of planning Joint up working PPNGOD Policy incentives e. g. Tax, Citizen passport etc Programmes Enabling Changes Global yet local search “Knowledge Management” Findajobinafrica Healthcare Investors; Mailing list New streamlined processes using ICT Increased investment Success Stories, Africa “the brand” Soft landing packages repatriates skills business Links inside and outside Africa Main streaming Diaspora products, packages & services Business Changes Baseline data Skilled labour force Improved choice Greater access to up to date skills “Technical know how” Local yet Global Harness and Enable increased productive capacity Alternative FDI Benefits Information Regional and Global Remittances & Investment Objectives D R I V E R S

Linkages l l l l Mobilise – information technology and other modern communication techniques to collate and disseminate information about opportunities (in and outside Africa Inform- provision of relevant and practical information Engage -Diaspora to play responsible roles in rebuilding their country Positioning- platform Recommend- promote reforms or practices in Africa make it more attractive for professionals and technocrats to consider pursuing careers or business Showcase- Success stories to convince and energise all stakeholders Feedback- inside and outside Africa at all levels

Remittances and Investment Average remittances/Investment a month $300 US dollars a month l Sustenance Remittances – Household sustenance such as housing, schooling and health l Investment Remittances – Small-Medium-Micro Business (28%); Real Estate (24%); Capital Market (19%); Other (27%); Private Equity/Venture Capital (12%) l Success stories of Diaspora Investors as Ex Diaspora or Transnational Citizens – wealth and job creation! l Examples- Aviation; Agriculture; Information Communication Technology; Capital Market; Real Estate; Mining; Health; Education: Communications-Media e. g. Nigeria Movie; Fast Moveable Consumer Goods; Money Transfer Organisations; Nigeria Stock Exchange (500 million US$/year)

Examples of Diaspora Investors- Individuals Rwenzori Coffee Pro Resolve Software – Ex Ex- Diaspora Ark View Group of companies. Transnational Unleashes the potential of partnership between growers and consumers Employment over 1, 000 farmers Build stakeholder communities Training in best practices Social well being e. g. orphanages, health and education projects 5 dental clinics in the UK employing 20 Dentist and 30 supporting staff – transferring best practices Developed 9 software applications marked across Africa Off-shore software development contracts for companies in USA and parts of Europe Employed 19 staffs from Liberia, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroon “Changed the lives of 19 young Africans” Sabo Foods. Transnational Export from Africa ethnic food productswholesale distributor opened Aviation industry runs up the market for direct flights to Cameroon the products in and national and regional. Europe in Employs 20 staff response to the increasing demand Telecomm and rubber from the Diaspora. business in Liberia. Employs 20 staff Employ 10 staff in the UK “We believe that change was imminent even during Links with the war and acted as a business across source of hope” Africa Opportunities for wealth creation and economic empowernment

Examples of Diaspora Investors- Organisations International Organisation for Migration Foundation Int. Ent African Government Initiatives The Ghana Nationals Association of Modena based in Italy – supports several cooperation development initiatives in Ghana e. g. Children’s school, Tour packages and created a fruit Enterprise in Ghana Set up a special dedicated fund generated by remittances Assisting migrants to set up business in their country. Of origin, through training, counselling, facilitation of market research and mediation to obtain banking financing Special initiatives and incentives to enable Diaspora Investment e. g. acquisition of land; matchmaking with local organisations; Missions as a link “Our research shows us that Africans want to increase investment in Africa. While African governments have put in place various policies to facilitate investment by large multinationals, little has been done to enable the inflow of investment from private individuals. We are keen that Africans in the Diaspora are recognised as key players and key investors” – Africa. Recruit

Challenges and Opportunities Challenges • • • Start up capital- many personal funds examples over £ 1 million raised with personal assets and networks Sufficient information to make an informed decision ( No =47%) Political instability e. g starting flights to DRC UK laws prohibit airlines going to Kinshasa Formalising the informal Infrastructure for financing Access to funding or grants Beaucracy and corruption Lack of Knowledge of the local markets Ineffective systems No "One stop shop" no central point Lack of technology and qualified human resources Market information gap Opportunities • • To harness an untapped and ready made market and clients E-commerce To extend the supply chain globally To attract investors to part’s of the country or nations that foreign investors may not seek to invest To direct investment into non traditional business sectors e. g. Education, Health To harness grassroots business To harness micro credit and attract “unbankable” members of the public To create products and services joined up between the host and sending countries attracting many more customers

Facilitating Skills and Knowledge Transfer • All African nationalities based inside and outside Africa • Experts based inside and outside Africa • All industry represented on the database • Users professional work experience range from 0 -25 years Total 188, 000 plus • Users include public, private and non-governmental sector covering job vacancies in all African countries e. g. An organisation that provides management and capacity building services to African businesses, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises; Growing bond market • Voluntary, Consultancies, Contract and Permanent • Over 500 Diaspora returned annually and many more skills engaged on an adhoc basis

Challenges and Opportunities Challenges • • Lack of skills in critical area Maintaining status in the Diaspora while contributing to development in Africa Managing expectations of all stakeholders Effective assimilation of Diaspora Changing dynamics- Ex Diaspora vs. Current Diaspora Lack or poor access to ICT Aggressive and Commercial recruitment agents for the West Demand from the West Opportunities • • • Strategic thinking to enhance the synergy between skills and economic policy, link skills strategy with trade and industry and provide opportunities for innovation Develop a regional wide skills development agency Mobility of skills regionally HR administrators vs. HR architects Skill transfer including opportunities to self-employed African’s

Recommendations- Government 1 of 2 l l l Effective Government and corporate partnerships Provide stable political and economic enabling conditions Technical assistance grant to the Diaspora Attractive business start-up incentives such as low tariffs/ reasonable loans Efficient market system, efficient transport system, documentations and banking facilities Culture or attitude that welcomes investment and trade Lean regulatory and administrative framework Investment guarantee measures Tighter corporate governance, mechanisms for credible governing and monitoring Soft landing packages e. g. tax breaks or incentives (Non Resident Ghanaians at Ghana Investment Promotion Centre) Government’s to act as 3 rd party insurance for Diaspora Debt forgiveness or protection of naturalisation/citizen

Recommendations- Government 2 of 2 l l l l l Receiving countries to explore ways to harness remittances. Home Link Zimbabwe Host countries to explore how to harness investment by Diaspora Employment laws to incorporate skills transfer and local capacity building incentives Development of regional wide skills strategy e. g. entrepreneurial Soft landing packages e. g. Packages More awareness of the various incentives and packages- online and offline e. g. Nigerian Diaspora Day in Nigeria Harnessing the role the Missions play as a source of update information Ensure they work in partnership with the private and development sector, to make skill transfer easier including opportunities to self-employed African’s Provide incentives that encourage transparency and good governance

Factors to consider in Policy formulation § § § Fostering an understanding of the Diaspora by the Donor and host countries facilitating a process that will harness their capacity to effectively engage in programmes in their countries of origin e. g. labour and migration laws, tax concessions Enhancing circular migration e. g. debt forgiveness; sabbatical and long leaves encouraged and facilitated Build strategic partnerships between other host countries and sending countries e. g. African governments to enable transglobal policy enhancers Work with international and multilateral organisations to address the constraints on public spending- decent employment opportunities in the healthcare public sector Move from bilateral to multilateral agreements- UN level as cohesive integrated action is required African governments to adopt policies that enable assimilation of the critical skills deployed back from the Diaspora

Recommendations- Business l l l l l Awareness of products, services and job opportunities Use remittance/Investment channels to harness micro credit. Post Bank Kenya, home link Zimbabwe, United Bank for Africa Increased involvement of the private sector in particular the financial sector to develop policy, create more packages and incentives to encourage formal flows of remittances Closer cooperation between the private, public and civil society sectors Increasing partnership with Diaspora Investors- South Africa Association of Investors Engaging Diaspora in global supply chain lines- Diageo Africa Understanding the investment needs of the Diaspora Providing transparent information on investment opportunities Bridge the perception gap

Recommendations- Diaspora l l l l Seek information Collective engagement Sensitivity and awareness of changes Tap into “here and there” competitive advantage Use of formal channels for remittances Be Informed Added value

Role of the Diaspora- to add value in… Skills. . Knowledge l Volunteering by the Diaspora l Secondment l Mentorship l Permanent l Virtual l Internship l Exchange Sustenance…Investment l Remit using formal channels l Greater understanding of the impact of remittances/FDI to Africa as a continent l Invest in various options Wealth creation in the Diaspora l Seek opportunities for entrepreneurship, investment and partnerships l Lobby host governments for policy enhancers . . partnership with African’s in Africa