The African Diaspora Network (ADN) is set to host this year’s African Diaspora Investment Symposium (ADIS23) in Silicon Valley, California, United States of America from March 22 to 24.

ADIS23, eighth in the series of the annual global convening that celebrates and champions the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of Africans, African Diasporans and friends of the continent, will see a convening of the African investment ecosystem in Silicon Valley, in a celebration of eight years of fostering the ingenuity of the African community at home and abroad alongside champions from around the world.

Marking the first in-person conference since switching to a virtual platform for the last two editions, this year, high-level participants are expected to converge at Computer History Museum, Mountain View, in Silicon Valley, to discuss trending innovations, blueprints for the future and the interconnectedness of sectors, including climate change, healthcare, finance, education and agriculture in Africa.

Board Chairman of ADN and Founder/Managing Partner, Ignite Venture Studio, Josh Ghaim, said the theme of the conference, ‘Future Ready: Africa’ seeks to provable solutions and roadmap to push the frontier of the continent in a changing world.

“In the next 25 years, Africa’s population is expected to double across the continent. Projections show that a quarter of the world’s people will be African by 2050. Africa has an opportunity to drive major transformations that adapt to this drastic demographic shift and build resilience in an era of disruption.

“The unforeseeable economic shocks created by the COVID-19 pandemic, international conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and challenges in the global economy have sparked innovations in industry, investment and entrepreneurship across the continent. Now, 10 years into Agenda 2063, Africa must plan for a sustainable recovery and re-imagine its path forward.

“The symposium is, therefore, designed to inspire and equip participants to be agents of change and active contributors to the development of Africa and the communities in which the Diaspora lives.”

In December 2022, ADN and the U.S. Department of State co-hosted a high-level working lunch themed ‘Beyond Remittances’ as a part of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit (ALS), where the conversation started on how to move beyond diaspora remittances to actively seeking pathways for growth and development through innovative means.

Recorded remittances from the Africa Diaspora reached over $80 billion in 2020. This is in addition to aid from foreign investors and partners.

“Let’s look beyond these remittances as we advance for a ‘FutureReadyAfrica’, where Africa is able to adapt to this drastic demographic shift and also build resilience through investments in an era of disruption,” Founder and Executive Director at ADN, Almaz Negash stated, adding that the conversation about how Africa can plan for the future beyond remittances will be a key focus at the Investment Symposium.

Among speakers at the event include CEO and General Partner of Fund for Africa’s Future (Future Africa), Iyinoluwa Aboyeji; Co-Director of Bread for the World’s Policy and Research Institute, Abiola Afolayan; Chief Science Officer, Consumer Healthcare; Sanofi, Dr Josephine Fubara; Sister Juunza Christabel Mwangani, one of the Religious Sisters of the Holy Spirit, a congregation of women based in Zambia whose charisma is ‘Dedication and openness to the personal action of the Spirit continuing Christ’s mission,’ among others. (The Guardian)

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