The
implementation of the Declaration of the Global African Diaspora Summit
reached another objective landmark
with the launch of the Pan-African Australasia Diaspora network by the
African Union (AU) in Melbourne, Victoria, 6 November 2015.
This was in fulfillment of Article I A(F) of the Declaration that stressed the need to
“create
platforms for closer interaction, solidarity and effective cooperation
between and amongst governments and civil society of African and its
Diaspora including continuation of Regional Consultative Conference and
consolidation of Regional Network
as partners and interlocutors for the implementation of the outcome of
the Global Diaspora Summit(italics). It was also in conformity with
Article IA(k) of the same which “Encouraged the Diaspora to organize
themselves in regional networks and establish appropriate
mechanisms their will enable their increasing participation in the
affairs of the African Union.”
The Launch of the Network
The
launch of the Network in Australia was a very colorful event which
mirrored and even replicated the framework
of Global African Diaspora Summit held in Sandton, South Africa on 12
May 2012. It brought together over 100 participants from about 20
nationalities drawn largely from Australia, Asia and Oceania but also
including representatives and invited guests from
the five different regions of the African continent. Specifically,
this included important figures from the business sectors, academia,
sports, entertainment, parliamentarians, police and security officials,
public servants, the media, civil society, etc.
Present
at the event were the key political figures from all shades of the
Victorian political community.
This included Hon. Robin Scott, MP, Minister for Multicultural Affairs
who represented the Government and the Premier, Hon. Matthew Guy, MP and
Leader of the Opposition Party, Hon. Telmo Ramon Languiller MP, Speaker
of the Legislative Assembly and Hon Bruce
Atkinson MLC, President of the Legislative Council and Andrew Crisp,
Assistant Commissioner of Police. Also in attendance were Members of
the African Diplomatic Community in Australia, notably H.E. Mr. George
Zulu, the High Commissioner of Zambia, Ms. Heide
Goldeberg, Consul of Botswana and Mr. Trent Smith, Consul of Malawi,
amongst others.
Celebrate African-Australian Event
The
launch was accompanied by a Celebrate Africa-Australia event at which
awards were presented to African
nominees in various categories that had distinguished themselves in
critical areas of Australian social, economic and political life and
citizens and representatives of institutions from the African continent
that had similar accomplishments. Awards were also
given to Australian luminaries that have done much to promote
Africa-Australian relations. Some of the Award Categories include the
African Community Female Leader of the Year Award, African Pioneer of
the Year, African Australians Excellence Award, Business
Model Leader of the Year Award, Champions Award, Emerging Footy Award,
African Community Philanthropic Organization of the Year Award, the
Outstanding Female Performance of the Year Award and Honorary Friends of
the African Award.
The
Launch dinner and Gala events included musical events, dances and
cultural presentations from various
parts of Africa. A special award was given to the Citizens and
Diaspora Organizations Directorate of the AU Commission (CIDO) in
recognition of its work and contribution to the cause of building a
global community in the African Union that will help to consolidate
the Australia-Asia-African relations and promotion of African interests
worldwide.
Discussion and Presentations
Speakers
from various events from the AU, Victorian Parliament, civil society
and Australasia highlighted
the need to use PAADN and the Celebrate Australian African annual
events as a framework for consolidating relations between Africa,
Australia and Asia. This include the Minister for Multicultural Affairs
who stood in for the Premier and the Leader of Opposition.
A preceding meeting with the speaker of the Legislative Assembly and
AUC staff ,led by the Director, Dr. Jinmi Adisa and attended by the
Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Anthony Okara, underlined the significant
contribution that Australians of African origin were
making to the development of Australian society and the need to explore
and strengthen the framework of relationship between Australia and the
African Union. Specific areas for collaboration were identified and
this included Education, Mining, Agriculture,
Science and Technology among others. Hon. Richard Marles, Federal MP
and important figure in the Labour Opposition, who also interacted with
the AU team, recalled his contacts with African Leaders and Africa’s
support for Australians successful demand for a Security Council seat.
He stressed the need to build on this platform.
He saw Africa as the present future for Australia just in the same way
that Asia was its future in the 1940s. He urged the need to set the
basis for getting things right in this perspective.
Mr.
Sisay Dinku, the National Executive and Victoria State Coordinator
stressed at the event that the objective
of the Australasia Diaspora was to connect effectively with the African
homeland to support Africa’s development agenda. He observed the
Australasia Africans were not out just to seek self-benefit. They
thought much in terms of what can be done for African
rather than what Africa could do for them. He thanked various sponsors
drawn from within and outside Australia particularly from the African
continent for supporting the event. Australians, he added, take very
seriously the mandate of global Diaspora Summit
that underscored the need for self-help in organization in adherence
with the AU.
His
sentiments were echoed by Mr. Nze-Bertram who underlined AU’s global
responsibility and noted that Diaspora
groups would not set out to be burdensome in this context. What is
required is meaningful collaboration with AU structures in a framework
of common identity and mutual interests. Responding, the Director of
CIDO, Dr. Adisa praised the PAADN network members
for their integrity of purpose and the mutuality of their concern and
interests. He observed that their strong ties with the cream of
Victorian society and Australasia and Africans across the depth and
breadth of the different layers of society places them
at an advantage as effective interlocutors within the context of the
implementation of the Declaration of the Global African Diaspora
Summit. He noted that the launch of the Network was a crucial phase but
one that simply sets the stage for the greater work
to come in Africa’s march towards integration and development.
The launch was concluded with the composition of the PADN Steering Community including the following:
-
John
Nze-Bertram - Founder & Facilitator; and Administering Chairperson
PAADN's Diplomats Group, Entrepreneurs Group, and Youths Group
-
Mr Sisay Dinku - Chairperson, PAADN's Human Rights and Immigration Group
-
Mrs Maria Osman - Chairperson, PAADN's Women's Group
-
Dr Apollo Nsubuga-Kyobe - Chairperson, Community Leaders Group
-
Dr Chika Anyanwu - Chairperson, PAADN's Academics Group
-
Mr David Malinda - Chairperson, PAADN's Professionals Group
-
Mrs Elleni Bereded-Samuel - PAADN's Board Member
-
Dr. Mimmie Claudine Ngum Chi Watts - PAADN's Board Member
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