Long viewed through the prism of its borders, Africa now seeks to define itself as a global space, driven by the continent itself and its diasporas. At the 9th Pan-African Congress in Lomé, a new vision is emerging: that of a shared African identity, capable of strengthening the continent’s influence in the world.
With a population of over 1.4 billion, Africa is now the world’s youngest continent: nearly 60 per cent of its population is under the age of 25. According to United Nations projections, its population could reach around 2.5 billion by 2050. This dynamic places the continent at the heart of the major challenges of the century, as discussed at the 9th Pan-African Congress, which brought together in Lomé nearly a thousand politicians, academics, entrepreneurs and representatives of the diaspora from over 50 countries to discuss the vision of a global Africa.
‘’This phased approach enabled us to achieve the objectives set, namely to raise awareness amongst the diaspora and people of African descent of their shared African heritage and the need to move towards the creation of a federative organisation for all African diasporas. Secondly, to analyse the constraints relating to productive investment by the diaspora and people of African descent on the continent; and the third set of considerations was to reflect on creating the appropriate conditions for mobilising the diverse resources of the diaspora, including the human resources of people of African descent, for the benefit of the continent’s development.”
Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs – Mali
At the 9th Pan-African Congress in Lomé, the concept of ‘Global Africa’ emerged as a new way of understanding the continent. It is no longer confined to the borders of the 54 African states, but encompasses the diasporas and communities of African descent across the world. Driven in particular by UNESCO’s work on the General History of Africa, this approach aims to re-establish Africa as a major player in world history, culture and international exchanges.
“By fighting for justice for the past 125 years, Pan-Africanism is fighting for a fairer world. By fighting for reparations for the past 125 years, Pan-Africanism is fighting to heal humanity’s deep wounds and for a humanity reconciled with itself. And it was Joseph Kiservo who said, ‘Every generation has pyramids to build’. It is our turn today to build this pyramid, our generation, so that future generations may remember us.”
Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs – Togo
Behind this drive to forge a sense of identity lies a major economic challenge: transforming the African diaspora into a strategic force. Recognised by the African Union as the continent’s sixth region, this global community represents considerable financial and human potential. According to the World Bank, remittances from Africans living abroad reached nearly $100 billion in 2024,
‘’I am delighted to see that Togo – and I am not just saying this to flatter them – is making great efforts to integrate its diaspora. But beware: more is needed than just political action; we need a diaspora policy. Just as there is a cultural policy, just as there is an economic policy, just as you have a trade policy, there must be a diaspora policy which, with all due respect to the Minister, goes beyond mere action. There must be an integrated vision for the diaspora.”
Jean Fils-Aimé, Political analyst and speaker – Haiti
This commitment to unity is also part of a strategy for economic integration. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to create one of the world’s largest markets, with 54 signatory countries, over 1.4 billion consumers and an economic potential estimated at several thousand billion dollars. Through economic integration, innovation, cultural influence and the mobilisation of diasporas, Africa as a whole intends to assert a sovereign identity that is open to the world and capable of making its voice heard in major international debates.
