Towards the Realisation of a United and Integrated Africa and its Diaspora: A Shared Vision for Sustainable Development to Address Common Challenges

Following the African Union, Caribbean Diaspora Conference held in March 2005, a decision was taken during the African Union Summit of the Heads of State and Government held in January 2006, to designate South Africa as the host country for a summit on the African Diaspora. The Summit is scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2008. The main objective of this summit is to create sustainable partnerships between the African diaspora and the Continent through a concrete and realistic Programme of Action.

As part of the preparations for the Summit, Regional Consultative Conferences (RCCs) are being held in various parts of the world throughout 2007. The RCC for Europe will be held on 11 and 12 September 2007 in Paris, where UNRISD's Director, Thandika Mkandawire, will be giving an address. It is expected that 400 participants, 50% from the African Diaspora in France and the rest drawn from civil society and African Diaspora associations from the rest of Europe, will attend.

Regional conferences were held for Latin America in Brazil on 16 April 2007, in London on 24 April 2007, in the Bahamas for the Caribbean on 2 and 3 August 2007 and in New York for North America on 22 and 23 June 2007.

The overall purpose of the RCC is to develop a concrete Plan of Action to guide the activities of the African Union and the African Diaspora in Europe.