Forum Adopts Measures To Stem Brain Drain In Africa Forum Adopts Measures To Stem Brain Drain In Africa February 25, 2000 Ghion Hagos PANA Correspondent ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (PANA) - The international conference on Brain Drain in Africa ended Thursday night with a series of recommendations designed to minimise the flight of human capital from the continent through concerted action of governments, academic institutions and civil society in capacity building. These include the development of a comprehensive approach "for effectively utilising human resources in Africa," the development of "concrete project activities" geared to strengthening human resources capacity building and the return of qualified Africans to the continent to assist in its development endeavours. The regional Conference on Brain Drain and Capacity Building in Africa from 22-24 February was attended by over 130 Participants. These included four education ministers, education policy-makers from 29 African countries, including 11 universities and 12 other institutions of higher learning. Many NGOs and development agencies as well as experts from all the sub-regions of Africa, UN agencies and representatives of donor countries also attended. It was organised by the UN Economic Commission for Africa in collaboration with the Geneva-based International Organisation for Migration and Canada's International Development Research Centre - a state agency dedicated to human resources development in Third World countries. It has four sub-regional centres in Africa. Conference participants pointed out at the end of their deliberations that capacity building in public and private sectors and community groups was critical for managing development in both the newly-industrialised countries of east Asia and elsewhere. "In Africa, a lack of consensus on the critical elements needed to build and strengthen indigenous capacities, as well as maintain and effectively utilise them, have been the problem with capacity building efforts and the subsequent migration of human capital in the form of brain drain," it was noted. The conference further noted that investment in human resources development and institution building were critical in speeding up economic growth and poverty reduction. It recommended such concrete actions for setting up a data base on African migration, enhancing and expanding the Return of Qualified African National Programme to bring talent from abroad and generating and retaining knowledge for the centres of excellence in the continent. The conference urged the OAU "to be more active in sensitising and generating awareness on the issues of the brain drain, including programming it in the agenda of its summit" in July this year in Lome, Togo. Speaking to reporters before the closing session, ECA Deputy Executive Secretary, Lalla Ben Barka, said unless political action is taken at the highest level, "the continent will be empty of professionals in 25 years." Sibry J.M. Tapsoba, the IDRC regional director for West and Central Africa, told the press that "Africa cannot develop when its best minds go elsewhere." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2000 Panafrican News Agency. All Rights Reserved.