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Senegalese
President Ups Stakes on African
Unification
Offering "Visa Free"
Travel Status to Members of the African
Diaspora
Historic Pronouncement on
Status of African Diaspora
 WASHINGTON
DC:At the conclusion of an official visit to the
Republic of Ghana by invitation of Ghana's Head of
State John Atta Mills, Senegalese President
Abdoulaye Wade announced his intention to
introduce legislation allowing members of the
global African Diaspora community to visit Senegal
without need of a visa. The Senegalese leader was
in Accra to participate in an International
Colloquium honoring the legacy of Ghana's first
President Kwame Nkrumah. In addition, this historic
legislation would include a provision allowing
members of the Diaspora to acquire a special
passport.
This is the first time any African head of state
has offered "Visa Free Status" to members of the
African Diaspora. This historic initiative by
President Wade results from discussions with Her
Excellency, Ambassador Dr. Erieka Bennett, Founder
and Head of Mission of the Diaspora African Forum,
based at the W.E.B. DuBois Center in Accra.
Recognized by the African Union, the Diaspora
African Forum holds diplomatic status granted by
Ghana and is the first diplomatic mission in the
world dedicated to the African Diaspora. While in
Accra, President Wade visited the Diaspora African
Forum, where he met with the Head of Mission, H.E.
Dr. Erieka Bennett, and invited her to open the
forum's second mission in Senegal's capital
Dakar.
"The president asked me to lead a Diaspora
delegation to Senegal to work out the modalities
for the new mission," Ambassador Bennett stated.
"This is an important, transformational moment in
the history of Africa and especially for the
political and economic evolution of African and
African Diaspora affairs," she concluded. The
distinguished and renowned, ninety-three year old
Jamaican diplomat, Ambassador Dudley Thompson,
represented the African Diaspora community at the
International Colloquium, which also celebrated
Kwame Nkrumah's 100th birthday.
Ambassador Thompson applauded Senegalese
President Wade's leadership on Diaspora affairs,
adding that he was delighted to see such a
breathtaking development in his life time. "This
decision represents a giant step in helping to
unite Africa and the Diaspora, and demonstrates in
a most meaningful way the visionary leadership of
President Wade and importance of the African
Diaspora to 21st century Africa."
In a related development, President Wade also
announced that in honor of the works and legacy of
Kwame Nkrumah, the Republic of Senegal would create
a Chair on Pan Africanism at Dakar's Cheikh Anta
Diop University, and further proposed in addition
to the establishment of the Diaspora African Forum
mission in Dakar, that a permanent Pan African
Secretariat also be established in the capital
city.
For additional information - and to obtain
interviews with H.E. Dr. Erieka Bennett, Founder
and Head of Mission of the Diaspora African Forum,
news media are invited to contact: Tony_Regusters@MSN.Com
by email, or by telephone at Division 12 Media
in Washington, DC at: (202)
587-5648.
Ambassador Dudley Thompson is the President of
World African Diaspora Union (WADU) Contact WADU
@718-523-3312 (NYC) or WADUPAM.ORG
 
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