By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, has expressed the country’s commitment to leverage its overseas community,
to reshape Nigeria’s international image and bolster the economic impact of its diaspora.
Tuggar expressed this commitment when he played host to the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement (PAC-ADE), in Abuja.
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The Minister emphasized the need to improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), contributions of Nigerians abroad, drawing comparisons with other countries that have smaller diaspora populations but higher economic contributions.
“We are moving closely towards changing those negative narratives about Nigeria and to improve on the contribution to GDP of diasporans,” Tuggar stated.
The Executive Director Deniece Laurent-Mantey, while fielding questions from journalist noted that Nigeria was part of their first official trip to Africa.
She explained that the council, inaugurated by President Biden in 2023, aims to strengthen the African diaspora’s role in economic and social development.
“We chose Nigeria because Nigerian diasporans represent a vibrant part of the African diaspora community,” Lawrence said.
Laurent-Mantey praised the engaging and interactive discussions with Minister Tuggar and expressed optimism about future collaborations.
She added, “We talked about how we can partner with the Nigerians in diaspora, across different sectors. Our partnership should go both ways: how can the US support Nigeria, and how can Nigeria support America as well?”
The PAC-ADE was established by President Biden via Executive Order 14089 during the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and was formally inaugurated in October 2023 by Vice President Harris. The council includes 12 members distinguished in various fields such as government, sports, creative industries, business, academia, social work, and faith-based activities.
The council advised the President on strengthening relationships between U.S. officials and the African diaspora in the United States.
In March, the council adopted its first set of recommendations for the President. These included programs focused on student exchanges between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and African educational institutions, advocating for more U.S. Government policy support for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), funds for climate-focused initiatives in Africa, improving visa processes for Africans traveling to the United States, and enhancing investments and collaborations in African creative industries.
The council’s visit to Nigeria underscores the significance of bilateral relations and the impact of the Nigerian diaspora. This follows the historic Framework of Cooperation signed between the U.S. and Kenya in May 2024 at Spelman College in Atlanta. This agreement included funds to support the Edtech Africa Initiative, a public-private partnership recommended by PAC-ADE to promote STEM education partnerships between HBCUs, the Open University of Kenya, Mastercard, and Microsoft.
The ongoing efforts of PAC-ADE highlight the importance of these initiatives and the potential for further collaboration between the U.S. and African nations.
