FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about State of the African Diaspora

What is the African Diaspora ?

It is a group of more than 350 millions inhabitants in the world. Some of them left Africa a few years ago as migrants, others left the continent as slaves as they were deported several centuries ago. All are people of African descent, living in Brazil, Jamaica, United States, France, India, etc. It is the third population in the world, after China and India, before United States and Indonesia.

What is the State of the African Diaspora ?

The State of the African Diaspora is an entity that has one goal : to reinforce Africa through the Diaspora, and the Diaspora through Africa.

How is the State structured ?

The State has a Constitution, a Government, many Ambassadors, a Parliament with members in all the regions of the world. The State has instituted a Royal Chamber which is Co-Chaired by our Minister of Historial Legacy, Queen Aidji (Marie-Ange Billott-Thebaud), and Chief Fortune Charumbira, who is the President of the Pan-African Parliament of the African Union.

When was it launched, and where ?

It was launched during the Summit of the African Union, in 2018, in Mauritania.

 

What is the link with the African Union ?

In 2014, the elected President of the African Union gave a mandate to Dr Louis-Georges Tin, chairperson of the French Black Organisation (CRAN), to create a structure for the African Diaspora.  This is the reason why he created the State of the African Diaspora.

Is it Panafrican ?

Most definitely !

How can it be a State without any territory ?

In the 1990, the leaders of the Kodak company were saying digital photos are not real photos. There was a whole debate. Today, there is no debate : Kodak is dead. Also, in the 1990, some people would say newspapers online are not newspapers, because there is no paper. Today, it would seem inappropriate to say so. In the past, to have a territory was essential to create a State. But today, everybody is online, there are tourists, migrants, travellers everywhere. We need to challenge the conservative notion of a State accordingly with modern realities. We are a State beyond walls and without borders.

What can you bring to Africa ?

All the energy and spirit of the African Diaspora, and its committment to Africa.

 

What can you bring when it comes to agriculture ?

With our partners, we are creating the West African Commodity Exchange. It is based in Western African, we have more than 6 million members in more than 17 countries in the region. Often, people grow food in Africa, but prices are decided out of Africa. With this commodity exchange, the farmers will be able to fix the prices themselves.

What can you bring when it comes to culture ?

After our lobbying efforts, a resolution was voted in the European Union. The Parliament is asking all the European states to make policies on restitution and reparations connected to colonisation and slavery. Also, we managed to have restitution for Benin : after our campaign, the « Treasure of Abomey was returned to Cotonou ». Now, we are working on a class action for restitution, that is already including 15 countries and kingdoms. All the countries which would wish to restore their legacy can contact us on secretariat@thestateofafricandiaspora.com

REF : https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-8-2019-0212_EN.html

 

What can you bring when it comes to business ?

We are about to launch a Chamber of Commerce. We have partners in Benin, Morocco, Nigeria, Congo, Denmark, United States, India, Dubaï, etc. All this will stimulate trade and business on the continent and in the African Diaspora.

What can you bring to the Youth ?

For the young generation, we have created The University of the State of the African Diaspora – USOAD.  We have more that 20 Faculties from Pan-African languages to Space Sciences and Technologies, through to Diplomacy.  Among our Patrons of USOAD, there are several VIPs, such as; Maryse Conde, who won the Nobel Prize in literature; Euzhan Palcy, the movie maker who won the UNESCO award; Fortune chief Charumbira, President of the Parliament of the African Union; Cheikh Modibo Diarra, the former Prime Minister of Mali and former Project Director of NASA.

Also, SOAD has created a network of Pan-African schools that includes more than 700 schools from Gabon, Zambia, Benin, Zimbabwe, Jamaica, Haiti, USA, Martinique etc.  The objective is to promote our own knowledge, our own history, our own languages, our own agriculture and our own vision.

 

How much money does the Diaspora as a whole bring to Africa ?

Every year, the Diaspora sends to the continent more than 65 billion dollars. That represents 13.5% of the budget of Senegal, 17.5% for Lesotho, 20% for Gambia, 29% for Liberia, etc. That is twice as much as the so-called international aid. But it could be even more, and more efficient, if there was more coordination between Africa and the Diaspora. To create more coordination and more strength is our very mission.