The Role Of The African Union And African Diaspora In Continental Development.

The article examines the role of the African Union (AU) and the African diaspora in the continent's development, defining the diaspora as people of African origin living outside Africa who are willing to contribute to its growth. It traces the evolution of the AU's engagement with the diaspora, highlighting the formal recognition of the diaspora as the "sixth region" of Africa in 2003 and subsequent initiatives such as the Agenda 2063 framework and various diaspora engagement policies across member states. The study identifies significant contributions from the diaspora in knowledge transfer, skills development, and economic investment, while also outlining challenges including terrorism, corruption, political instability, and xenophobia that hinder diaspora participation. It recommends transformational leadership, strengthened governance, anti-corruption measures, and enhanced security cooperation to create an enabling environment for diaspora involvement in Africa's sustainable development.