Maravi

There’s urgent need to gather the Diaspora, says Sichilima

There’s urgent need to gather the Diaspora, says Sichilima
By Fridah Zinyama
Sat 13 Mar. 2010, 20:00 CAT

A Zambian living in the Diaspora has said there is urgent need for Zambia to gather its diaspora in order to bring meaningful development to the country.

Reflecting over a World Bank African Diaspora Open House meeting held in Washington DC last month, Chasaya Sichilima said the global financial crisis brought to the fore the fact that Zambia needs to start engaging its diaspora on a level that will bring meaningful development to the country.

“Unlike foreigners, they will not run away when the going gets tough,” he said. “They mourn, struggle and overcome challenges of their kin.

Though far away, their hearts and minds are home. Indeed, this is the 10th province of Zambia and needs to be courted aggressively.”

Sichilima said even though one could not claim that the diaspora was the panacea to Zambia’s development war, it had been an under-utilised additional weapon.

“The open house afforded me an opportunity to share and gather ideas and experiences,” he said.

“For a country like ours which is just beginning to embrace its Diaspora, there were lessons learnt on how we can move the process further and contribute to the nation’s development.”

Sichilima noted that it also brought home the reality of how Zambians living in the diaspora missed out on international fora that would add value to Zambia.

“Other countries are not waiting for us,” he said. “My hope is that the government and the people of Zambia will seek to partner with the World Bank on the African Diaspora Programme so that when the next Open House is held, Zambia will be among those countries mentioned as having projects with and succeeding in engaging its diaspora.”

Sichilima said the time was ripe for others to hear about how wonderful and resilient Zambians were, as a people.

The African Diaspora Program (ADP) is a World Bank initiative to implement a number of specific activities which would affect directly and positively the African Diaspora and their activities in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

The second African Diaspora Open House was an opportunity to share information on progress made to date with the ADP, as well as reflect on and seek advice on areas where progress has been less than anticipated.

Participants joined Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Bank managing director, Obiageli Ezekwesili, World Bank vice-president for African Region, Dr Jinmi Adisa, director, Citizens and Diaspora Directorate at the African Union Commission and Bockari Kortu Stevens, ambassador of Siera Leone to the United States.

Labels: AFRICAN DIASPORA OPEN HOUSE, AFRICAN DIASPORA PROGRAM (WORLD BANK), CHASAYA SICHILIMA, DIASPORA

posted by MrK @ 6:27 AM