African leaders challenged on diaspora rights
By Hassan Abbas, Addis Ababa – African leaders have been challenged to not only tap the economic potential of the diaspora but also to ensure that they exercise their political rights in their respective countries during elections.
The call was issued by governance stakeholders during the meetings to reflect on 10 Years Anniversary of the African Union governance assessment instrument-the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
The two day meeting held in the sidelines of other commemorations for the 50 Golden Anniversary of AU, invited APRM stakeholders from all over Africa and was graced by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn.
Reacting on several participants call for African leaders to employ policies to ensure African diaspora communities enjoy their political rights, Prof. Adele Jinadu from the University of Lagos said many African governments have not moved towards that end.
Prof. Jinadu who was also among APRM experts who came to review Tanzania in March last year, told the gathering of more than 100 APRM stakeholders that researches he conducted in many African countries that many diaspora are not allowed to vote in their countries during election.
“Despite the fact that African democracy is gaining significant strides, African diaspora are prevented to vote during major elections in their countries,” said Prof. Jinadu, a political scientist.
Many African countries have moved to encourage diaspora communities especially outside Africa to invest back home. Tanzania on its part has established a Directorate of Diaspora in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Community.
Despite the notable volition of African countries to tap the social and economic potential of their diaspora within and outside Africa, it was the consensus at the end of the APRM meeting that the Mechanism needs to research and advise African leaders on the need to grant African diaspora voting rights.
