Kelly T. Clements
The 2nd Africa Forum on Displacement – Private Sector Solutions (AFD 2023) is underway in Accra highlighting the private sector’s role in ensuring peace and supporting displaced persons within the continent.
The Forum, first held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2021, is in response to the magnitude of displacement in Africa by raising awareness among Africa’s private sector stakeholders about the challenges faced by forcibly displaced people in Africa.
It also creates the platform for stakeholders to promote initiatives to help address the displacement crisis by exploring innovative and transformative approaches to resolve forced displacement in the continent.
AFD 2023 is co-convened by the Amahoro Coalition, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and Inkomoko with partners; Mastercard Foundation and IKEA Foundation.
According to UNDCR data, the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide has toppled over 110 million because of persecution, conflict, and violence.
Meanwhile, Africa hosts the highest number of people forcibly displaced numbering over 44 million.
UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner, Kelly T. Clements, noted that the Forum seeks to address the urgent and complex challenges and opportunities of displacement in Africa.
She said the gathering is a crucial precursor to the UNHCR Global Refugee Forum 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland, fostering a whole-of-society approach.
“It is a collective effort to gather leaders and forge market-driven commitments for solutions in Africa,” she said.
Founder of the Amahoro Coalition, Isaac K. Fokuo Jr., said Amahoro was established to rally Africa’s private sector around the fundamental cause especially at a time when the world faces much turmoil.
“It is poignant that this Forum, focused on forced displacement, be held in Ghana, considering the complex history of our diaspora,” he said.
CEO of Inkomoko, Julienne Oyler, opined that the AFD 2023 platform is to promote sustainable development by fostering a culture of corporate social responsibility and inclusivity within Africa’s private sector.
“It represents a unique opportunity for stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to come together and address the pressing challenges of forced displacement in Africa,” she added.
The Forum also encouraged private companies to commit at least one percent of their resources, including financial contributions, in-kind support, technical expertise, and employment opportunities, to support forcibly displaced populations.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri