African Diaspora Forum

Our history

The African Diaspora Forum was created in immediate reaction to the xenophobic attacks rising in May 2008. Several community leaders and concerned residents in South Africa, called by Ivorian community leader Marc Gbaffou and Carnival organiser and pan african enthusiast Rayban Sengwayo, came together and decided to create a platform for African migrants to voice their concern and work for an integrated society.

 

Our Membership

The African Diaspora Forum is a non profit organisation open to all willing individuals and organisations sharing the objectives of the Forum. Its originality consists in the union of a number of organisations representing African migrant communities living in South Africa.

So far 21 African countries are represented in the Forum: Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Our Objectives

To work for an integrated society that is free of xenophobia and all other kinds of discrimination

To promote and consolidate a Pan African forum for African residents of whatever nationality to work together to build one common voice on common issues, and a shared feeling of belonging to Africa

To facilitate and develop relationships, exchanges and mutual understanding between South Africans and non South African residents in South Africa (in particular, but not exclusively, through the organisation of pan African cultural events; through the participation in civil society organisations at the local level – such as community policing forums, civics, street committees, etc.)

To make sure that xenophobic statements in public discourses and policies do not remain unchallenged; and to work with South African institutions (at the national, provincial and local level) to promote integration between all African communities and to dismiss those discriminatory policies that fuel xenophobia.

Our strengths

Consisting of representatives (group or individuals) of various African communities, the Forum has specific language and cultural skills that can be used to facilitate communication as well as to organise cultural events.

The forum can rely on extended networks of migrants within South African society and mobilise them for specific reasons (support to persons affected by xenophobia, organisation of pan African events of cultural or political nature, etc.).

The forum has important organisation skills as many of its members are currently community leaders.

The forum is open to anyone sharing the objectives mentioned above, but its specificity is its inclusion of various African communities; and its knowledge of the issues and challenges experienced at the grassroots level.

ADF sends delegation to Cape Town

The African Diaspora Forum (ADF) sent a delegation to Cape Town to explore, together with a number of African migrant individuals and organization representatives, the possibility of establishing an ADF branch in Cape Town. On Friday 8th and Saturday 9th of January 2010, the delegation met a number of African community members and leaders of organizations.
The encounter was organized on Sunday 10th January at the Bokaap Kombuis, in the historic Bokaap. The meeting was well attended with more than 50 participants in the audience, from a large variety of African countries, and involving a great diversity of professions, such as traders, lecturers, doctors, academics, car guards, security guards, entrepreneurs, journalists and students. It was honoured by the presence of the Chief editor of The Star newspaper, Moegsien Williams, as well as the executive director of The Cape Argus, Gasant Abarder. ADF activities were presented and discussed, as well as the need to establish a similar set of activities in Cape Town.

There was definitely a keen interest for establishing an ADF branch in Cape Town. A steering committee was selected in order to expand the network, convey information and organise meetings of African migrants in Cape Town, until the Cape Town branch is duly established at ADF Annual General Meeting.
The steering committee consists of six members chosen to represent the different parts of Africa: Mustapha Saidi, a Moroccan lecturer at the University of the Western Cape; Laureen Namusonge Rwatirera, a Zimbabwean professional from the NGO Organizing for Africa; Hassan Isilow, a Somali journalist who hosts Voice Of the Cape's African Connections; Dr Guillaume Aboua, an Ivorian senior lecturer in the Cape Peninsula University of Technology; Mojeed Biobaku, a Nigerian who works for an international company in Cape Town; and Richard Ntamutumba, a Burundian local businessman. Two high profile individuals, Mr Gasant Abarder, Executive Editor of The Cape Argus, and Mr Cassiem Khan, Country Director for Islamic Relief Worldwide S.A, were chosen to guide the steering committee.

ADF Constitution and Presentation Pamphlet

ADF Constitution	Pamphlet Presentation

Copyright © 2011 A.D.F.