The West African Coast Diaspora Forum organised by Action Ianda Guinea! Djuntu, the Guinean Diaspora Platform, Racines and GRDR, held in Paris on 11 May 2024, was attended by around 70 participants; 40 in person and 30 online.
This meeting between various African organisations, particularly the Bissau-Guinean diaspora, arose from the emerging need to create synergies between organisations, government institutions and embassies.
Given the participation of organisations from different countries, simultaneous translation of the talks into two languages, Portuguese and French, was provided. The translation made it possible for the participants to speak and for the debate to be accessible to all.
The participation of Guinea-Bissau’s Secretary of State for Communities, Cipriano Mendes Pereira, and Guinea-Bissau’s Ambassador to France, Henrique Adriano da Silva, were some of the Forum’s highlights. The link between organisations and members representing the government is key to identifying the main challenges in the Diaspora and promoting ways of helping organisations.
The event was also attended by representatives of Ianda Guiné Djuntu! and the Guinean Diaspora Platform, Augusto Mansoa and Genabu Baldé, Coordinator and Vice-Coordinator respectively, who, during the morning, presented the work carried out and the respective challenges, and, in the context of a debate, answered the questions and concerns raised by the participants. In the afternoon, Racines’ and GRDR’s work with the diaspora on the west coast of Africa was presented.
Action Ianda Guinea! Djuntu, together with the Bissau-Guinean Diaspora Organisations, has developed a network that fosters coordination and consultation between diaspora organisations in order to make their investment in Guinea-Bissau’s development more effective.
Implemented by IMVF – Instituto Marquês de Valle Flôr, the Ianda Guiné! Djuntu is one of the 8 Actions of Ianda Guiné! Nó lanta, nó pega, a European Union programme of social and economic opportunities for the people of Guinea-Bissau.
