DECLARATION OF THE GLOBAL AFRICAN DIASPORA SUMMIT

DECLARATION OF THE GLOBAL AFRICAN DIASPORA SUMMIT

WE, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, the Caribbean

and South America

RECOGNIZING the important presence of Heads of State and Government from the

Caribbean Community, South and Latin America and representatives of the

African Diaspora;

EXPRESSING our appreciation to His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma, the

Government and People of the Republic of South Africa and the African Union

for the warm reception and for hosting and conducting this Summit;

TAKING COGNIZANCE of the dialogue carried out between Africans on the

Continent and representatives of the African Diaspora in various regions of

the world, including North America, South and Latin America, Europe and

elsewhere;

RECALLING the Constitutive Act of the African Union that is guided by a

common vision of a united and strong Africa based on a partnership between

governments and all segments of society in order to strengthen cohesion and

solidarity among its peoples;

RECALLING the struggle of the Founding Fathers and combatants for

Panafricanism in Africa as well as in the Diaspora;

ALSO RECALLING the Protocol on Amendments to the Constitutive Act of the

African Union adopted by the First Extra-Ordinary Session of the Assembly of

Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2003, and

in particular Article 3(q) which invites the African Diaspora to participate

as an important

component in the building of the African Union;

FURTHER RECALLING relevant African Union Decisions including Decision

EX.CL/Dec. 5 (III) on the Development of the Diaspora Initiative adopted by

the Third Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in Maputo, Mozambique,

in July 2003, Decision EX.CL/Dec. 221 (VII) on the Africa-Diaspora Process

adopted by the Eighth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in January

2006 and Decision EX.CL/Dec. 406 (XII) on the First African Union Diaspora

Ministerial Conference adopted by the Twelfth Ordinary Session of the

Executive Council in Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia, in January2008 on the modalities for Diaspora participation in the

organs and activities of the Union and Decision Ass/AU/Dec.205(XI) adopted

by the Eleventh Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union in Sharm

El-Sheikh, Egypt, in July 2008 on the Africa Diaspora Summit, Decision,

Ass/AU/Dec 354 (XVI) of the Sixteen Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the

Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2011 on the Roadmap for the

Diaspora Summit, including the convening of a Technical Experts meeting in

Pretoria, South Africa in February 2011 and Decision Ass/AU/Dec 367 (XVII)

of the Seventeenth Ordinary Session of Assembly of the Union on the

convening of a second Ministerial Conference on the margins of the United

Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2011 as well as Decision

Assembly/AU/Dec. 393(XVIII) endorsing the outcome and conclusions of

the Second Ministerial Conference held in New York in September 2011.

More:

http://www.dfa.gov.za/docs/2012/diaspora_declaration0525.pdf