Event Partners: 

Speakers:

• Welcome Remarks: Richard Gomes, Shell Foundation and Mirian Kene-Kachikwu, Co-Founder & Chairperson, Shell African Network
• Alison Ward, Kraft Foods
• Georgina Awoonor-Gordon, Comic Relief
• David Smith, British African Business Alliance
• Ida Horner, Ethnic Supplies

Chair: Simon Maxwell, Research Fellow, ODI

Registration opens at 17.00.  The event will be followed by a reception.

Background:

The African diaspora are a potent force for driving investment, enterprise development and jobs in Africa.  A recent World Bank report estimates that there are at least 30 million people in the diaspora, with migrant remittances exceeding US$40bn in 2010.  Beyond remittances, the diaspora can be a powerful driver of trade, investment, enterprise development, job creation, innovation and skills

This event will explore:

• Examples of practical initiatives and sources of finance aimed at harnessing the diaspora for development impact in Africa, and what the lessons are for how to do this most effectively.
• Ideas for bringing together the different African diaspora communities currently working independently, to stimulate more collaboration around advocacy, action and knowledge sharing.
• Advice on how governments and donors can help drive the scale and development impact of engagement by diaspora investors and entrepreneurs.
• Thoughts on how multinational corporations investing in Africa can harness the diaspora to enhance the development impact of their investments.

Event Sponsor: Shell Foundation

For more information on the 2011 Event Series, click here.