Adesina Canvasses Diaspora Voting, Says Remittances Critical to African Economic Development

The President, African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, says that Africans in the diaspora are critical to Africa’s economic development.

Adesina said this at the Global Community of Practice (G-COP) policy dialogue being hosted by the bank in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The dialogue is tagged “Development Without Borders: Leveraging the African Diaspora for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa”.

The event was organised by the bank in collaboration with the African Union Commission, the International Organisation for Migration, and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat.

Adesina said the role of Africans in the diaspora could not be undermined because they constituted the continent’s largest financiers through remittances.

“The value of remittances from the African diaspora doubled from 37 billion dollars  in 2010 to 87 billion dollars in 2019 and reaching 95.6 billion dollars by 2021.

“Yet official development assistance to Africa in 2021 was 35 billion dollars or 36 per cent of the remittances from the diaspora.

“Egypt and Nigeria are among the top-ten remittance recipients globally, with Egypt  receiving 31.5 billion dollars and Nigeria, 19.2 billion dollars , both  in 2021.

“The African diaspora has become the largest financier of Africa and it is not debt”, he said.

According to him, it is 100 per cent gifts or grants, a new form of concessional financing that is the key for livelihood security for millions of Africans.

On the use of the remittences, Adesina said while it had helped to meet financial, food, education, and health needs, and served as countercyclical sources of finance and social protection, more should be done with it.

“We must eliminate the “Africa-premium” charged on remittances, as the cost of remitting funds to Africa was twice what it was for South Asia.

“We must also tap the massive opportunities offered by diaspora bonds because diaspora bonds are effective instruments to harness remittances for the development of Africa.

“In spite of its great potential only four African countries, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria have successfully issued diaspora bonds, often with mixed results”, he said, while urging African countries to securitise remittances to promote investments, particularly for infrastructure on the continent.

Adesina said remittances to Africa could be used as collateral to secure financing for African economies in view of the fact that it was high, rising and stable.

On other contributions by Africans in the diaspora, the AfDB President said they could offer a lot more than remittances and investments.

He said they had skills, knowledge, know-how and exposure to the world of business and investments, science, arts, and technologies, that could boost human capital for Africa’s development.

“They can help build world class universities and can be mentors for the new generation of Africans. That is why all governments in Africa should prioritise affairs of the diaspora”, he added.

He urged African countries to establish ministries of diaspora to give policy priority to the specific needs of the diaspora.

According to him, the establishment of the ministry will expand the investment opportunities for them through special incentives.

On voting right, Adesina said the diaspora should be allowed to vote.

According to him, if they can send money that powers their home economies, they should also help decide the future of the economies of Africa.

He assured Africans in the diaspora of AfDB’s continued partnership toward transforming Africa.

-diplomatic diary