-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 9:20 AM
To: Malanding Jaiteh
Subject: FYI



 New effort to reverse Africa's brain
 drain
 James Njoroge

 A new initiative has been launched in a
 bid to help reverse Africa's brain
 drain by encouraging Africans who are
 currently living outside the continent
 to return home with their skills.

 'Africa Recruit' will organise
 employment events such as job fairs in
 their country of residence for Africans
 living abroad, and has linked up with
 FindajobinAfrica.com ? a database of
 African professionals ? to help
 mobilise the skills of African
 professionals living outside the
 continent.

 The initiative is the brainchild of the
 Commonwealth Business Council (CBC), a
 private sector organisation that aims
 to bridge businesses and governments in
 Commonwealth countries.

 "Africa's economic development requires
 that the historical brain drain be
 reversed into a brain gain," says Funto
 Akingube of Africa Recruit. "We must
 make use of the scientific and
 managerial skills of Africans in the
 diaspora."

 The New Partnership for Africa
 Development (NEPAD) has already
 endorsed the initiative as a practical
 attempt to fill the skills gap in
 Africa's workforce, and thus help
 improve political, social and economic
 conditions on the continent.

 "To ensure that Africa's natural
 resource is translated into wealth, its
 human capital base must be established
 and sustained," said Alhaji Bamanga
 Tukur, chair of the NEPAD Business
 Group at the inauguration of Africa
 Recruit in London last week. "The
 launch of CBC AfricaRecruit is a timely
 step in the right direction,"

 The inauguration event, which was
 attended by more than 3,500 African
 professionals, provided a forum for
 exchange between African leaders, the
 corporate sector and representatives
 from the diaspora. Similar events will
 be held in Paris, New York and in
 Africa this year.





************************************
Chandra Giri, PhD.
Senior Scientist
SAIC, EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
USA
.....
Phone: 1-605-5942835
Fax: 1-605-5946529
Email: [log in to unmask]
************************************

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