On June 22, the first edition of the Diasporas Forum will take place at the Palais des Congrès in Paris. Led by the Institute for Economic Prospects of the Mediterranean World, with the support of an orientation council made up of personalities recognized for their commitment to diaspora entrepreneurship, this Economic Forum intends to bring together for the first time all diasporas in North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, as well as leading economic and political actors wishing to invest in Euro-African co-development.
In an increasingly competitive world, especially with China’s rise to the international stage, rethinking Euro-African regional integration is a key issue for the future of our two continents. As bicultural actors, diaspora members can play a central role in building an Africa-Mediterranean-Europe economic bloc. What are their hopes, their projects, their difficulties? How can they harness their potential for African and European well-being?
The founding ambition of the Forum lies in its way of considering diasporas no longer as a migratory issue or socio-cultural object, but rather as a major economic and political issue for the years to come.
This will be the main thread of the inaugural plenary of this Forum, which will see express the ambitions and hopes of African and European political representatives (Ally COULIBALY, Minister of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad, Chakib BEN MOUSSA , ambassador of Morocco or AmalAmélia LAKRAFI, member of the National Assembly), great bosses (Rémy WEBER, chairman of the Board of Directors of Banque Postale, Issad REBRAB, CEO of the Cevital Group) and media figures of the diasporas (Yassine BELLATAR, animator and humorist, Chantal UWITONZE, president of the African Diaspora Network in Europe).
The themes of mobilization and entrepreneurship, financing, innovation and employment will then be discussed in four round tables.
From experts such as the economist Farid YAKER, president of the France-Algeria Forum, Nathalie PILHES, president of Expertise France and new interministerial delegate for international technical cooperation, or leaders of support structures projects like Néné KEÏTA, director at Diaspohub and Khady Sakho NIANG, president of the Africa-Europe Diaspora Development Platform, the first conference will reflect on new initiatives promoting the involvement of the Diaspora in Africa.
After a networking luncheon at the heart of the Forum, the day will continue with a conference dedicated to new financing tools for Africa-related project leaders. Led by major players such as Faman TOURÉ, president of the Ivory Coast CCI or Karim ALLOUACHE, young entrepreneurs will also share their experiences and present their new solutions (Adrien AUMONT, KissKissBankBank co-founder, Arnaud POISSONNIER, president founder of Babyloan or Thameur HEMDANE, founder of Afrikwity).
The 3 rd conference, dedicated to innovation and new forms of engagement, will give voice to many rising stars such as Sekou OUEDRAOGO, President of African Aeronautics & Space Organizations (AASO), Samir ABDELKRIM, founding president of Startup BRICS, Anass EL HILAL, co-founder of Medtrucks to fight against medical deserts and Soumia MALIMBAUM, president of the French Association of Diversity Managers (AFMD).
The last conference will address the issue of employment for diaspora candidates: what types of posts, in which sectors, for which profiles? With what difficulties and what benefits? Experts in human resources (Saad BERRADA, Director of Human Resources of INTELCIA, or Emmanuel NOUTARY, General Delegate of Anima Investment Network) rub elbows with committed personalities (Fanta TRAORE, President of the African Dream Forum, Karim SAAFi, co- President of the African Diaspora Youth Forum in Europe or Moussa CAMARA, President of the Determined).
In parallel with the conferences, spaces of expression offered to all (Tree of palaver, country workshops) and solutions spaces dedicated to the recruitment, the financing of projects and the creation of companies will also be opened all the day in view of bring tools, means and networks to all those who dream of developing a project between the two shores of the Mediterranean.
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