African Leaders Eye Resources of the Diaspora for Development Fund

African Leaders Eye Resources of the Diaspora for Development Fund

Special to the NNPA from the Global Information Network

A fund to harness the financial resources of African citizens abroad was endorsed recently by African leaders at the wind-up of the Global African Diaspora Summit, held in Johannesburg.

The fund, managed by the African Union Commission, would lure the Diaspora to contribute to Africa's development. According to the AU, the continent needs about $60 billion in the next 10 years to meet its infrastructure needs.

But unity on the continent was poorly displayed in the host city, which has seen anti-immigrant sentiment growing among locals.

Jason Chiwuzie Osuafor, president of a Nigerian immigrants organization, cited systematic prejudice by those who are supposed to protect the law.

'The main problem is one of police brutality. Between last year and this year, we've registered 10 Nigerians killed by policemen in mysterious circumstances," said Osuafor.

Anti-immigrant fever is spreading outward. In Namibia, residents of a shanty town area have been threatening action against Zimbabwean squatters whom they claim have started "grabbing land" from native Namibians.

President Jacob Zuma gave the summit's closing speech. African sponsors of the confab had asserted (our) "shared descendency, our shared vision, our shared history, our shared experience, and our shared commitment to overcome the challenges faced by our people on the African continent". w/flag of Diaspora

"Africa is rising," he declared, "and no one will stop us because we have what it takes to make it work."

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