The Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA) cordially invites you to a seminar on the
Transnational Communities in Africa
Research Project
Commissioned by
Date: 9 March 2010
Time: 08:30 for 09:00 16:45
Venue: Conrad Strauss Auditorium
1st Floor
Standard Bank Centre
5 Simmonds Street
Marshalltown
Johannesburg
ABSTRACT
Social, economic and political systems of Africa have changed considerably in the last decades. These changes together with the associated human movements (migration) have led to an emergence of new social and economic systems, patterns of consumption and capital flows. All these combined form basis for current debates and research in Africa. Prominent among them is the migration of people to countries perceived to be of better economic status. These properties of the evolving social systems of the world were inhibited during the periods of cold war and wars in some parts of Africa such as Mozambique, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda etc. As such their impacts on socio-economic development were not well studied and the opportunities they provide have not yet been fully explored. Indeed intra-African population movements have existed from time immemorial. Hence, the pace and magnitude of migration patterns have intensified in recent years due to technological advancement, ease of movement and communication. Another notable characteristic of the current migration patterns is that African ้migr้ communities can be found as far afield as the United States and Canada, across Europe and into the Middle East and Asia.
The Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA) has conducted an in-depth study, commissioned by Standard Bank Group, of the nature and characteristics of such communities and its potential impact on both host and sending states. This has taken place in the form of empirical data collection and analysis. This seminar is aimed at sharing results with interested institutions, groups and individuals for the purpose of improving the understanding of the dynamics of migration in the 21st century.
The seminar is designed such that it accommodates:
ุ Think-tanks
ุ Government
ุ Academic Institutions
ุ International Institutions
ุ Non-Governmental Organisations
ุ Multinational corporations
Transnational Communities in Africa
Programme
08:30 09:00 Arrival and Registration
09:00 09:20 Opening & Welcome
Dr Monica Juma, Executive Director: Research, AISA
Mr Daniel Erasmus, Standard Bank Group
PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSIONS OF PAPERS
09:20 09:35 Dr Nomfundo Ngwenya, Head: SA Foreign Policy, South African
Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)
Topic: African Expatriate Communities in Africa: their size, lifestyle and
relationship with their sending state
09:35 09:55 Discussion
09:55 10:10 Prof Francis Nwonwu, Head: Sustainable Development, AISA
Topic: The Neo-liberal policy, free movement of people and
migration patterns in the Southern African Development
Community (SADC)
10:10 10:30 Discussion
10:30 10:45 Prof Brij Maharaj, Department of Geography, University of KwaZulu-
Natal
Topic: The African Brain Drain: Causes, Costs, Consequences
10:45 11:05 Discussion
11:05 11:20 Prof Amanda Gouws, Department of Political Science, University of
Stellenbosch
Topic: The feminisation of migration
11:20 11:40 Discussion
11:40 11:55 Dr Matlotleng Matlou, CEO, AISA & Mr Shingirirai Mutanga, GIS and
Remote Sensing Specialist, AISA
Topic: The interlinkages between global migration flows and development
Issues, past, present and future trends
11:55 12:15 Discussion
12:15 12:30 Dr Siphamandla Zondi, Executive Director, Institute for Global Dialogue
(IGD) & Ms Dimpho Motsamai, Researcher: Africa and Southern Africa,
Institute for Global Dialogue
Topic: Citizens Abroad: African Expatriate Communities in the US, Britain and
Australia and Relationship with Sending States
12:30 12:50 Discussion
12:50 13:30 LUNCH
13:30 13:45 Dr Renu Modi, Centre for African Studies, University of Mumbai
Topic: Indian Communities in Africa
13:45 14:05 Discussion
14:05 14:20 Rafiu Adewale Aregbeshola, Lecturer, Department of Business
Management (International Business), University of South Africa
(UNISA)
Topic: The impact of intra-continental migration in Africa:
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