World Bank African Diaspora Program Launches Database of Professional Skills
The World Bank’s African Diaspora Program is launching its Database of Professional Skills in the African Diaspora. This database will capture the diverse talents, skills and experiences of professionals throughout the global African Diaspora, so that they may be utilized to further Africa’s development agenda.
Every year, innumerable young, educated Africans leave home to seek their fortunes abroad. Most of these immigrants never return home, though their abilities and knowledge are a priceless commodity that, if leveraged correctly, could contribute significantly to the development of their home countries. In addition to this group, millions of people of African descent, located in communities around the world, are actively seeking ways to re-engage with their ancestral homes in Africa.
During a series of frank and open discussions that took place at the second African Diaspora Open House, identifying and utilizing the unique talents of the African Diaspora emerged as a clear priority. The World Bank team and the 400 representatives of the African Diaspora who were present at that gathering collectively recognized that these invaluable human resources can and must be tapped to help Africa overcome her development challenges.
As a result, the African Diaspora Program is launching a Database of Professional Skills in the African Diaspora. It is our belief that this database will form a basis upon which the diverse skills and experiences of African Diaspora professionals and their firms can be employed to benefit the African Continent.
Initially, this database will be used by World Bank Task Team Leaders to identify individuals and firms that can successfully contribute to World Bank supported projects in Africa. However, the African Diaspora Team, through its partnerships with the African Union and other development partners, hopes that this database will ultimately serve a much broader audience and will support efforts by African governments and donor agencies to effectively utilize the skills of the African Diaspora to address Africa’s development challenges and priorities.
With this in mind, we invite individuals and firms in the African Diaspora to submit their Curriculum Vitae and/or corporate profile, along with a completed copy of the Basic Information Form, to afrdiaspora@worldbank.org. Of course, submitting your details is no guarantee of consulting assignments or other work. However, it does ensure consideration and evaluation by a wider audience of potential employers and may afford you and your firm the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development of the African Continent.
