Press release 20 June 2005

Promoters vow to put African artists on "Live8419" stage at The Rocket in
London on 2 July to raise African aid for Britain

To mark World Refugee Day organizers of the annual African Diaspora &
Development Day (ad3) have offered to help aid Britain's ailing NHS by
raising money to enable thousands of African refugees with medical
qualifications to work for the health service. Concerned that 2 July -
which is shaping up to be a big day for Africa - would only see African
artists relegated to playing in a small village in the British provinces,
ad3 organizers, the African Foundation for Development (AFFORD) have
called on African performers to take to a "Live8419" stage at The Rocket
in Holloway, north London.

Africa's first female Nobel Peace Prize winner, Professor Wangari
Maathai, will deliver the keynote address at ad3 on the theme of
mobilizing African diaspora resources to create and sustain enterprises,
jobs and wealth in Africa. With some $200 billion estimated by the World
Bank to flow through a mixture of formal and informal channels in to
Africa each year from Africans abroad, the organizers feel it is
imperative to challenge them - as Africa's biggest aid donors and
investors - to maximize the impact of their skills, political, cultural
and social influence, and their money for Africa.

However, AFFORD is also keen to draw attention to the enormous
contribution of Africans to the UK economy and society. Already, Africa
effectively subsidizes the UK's education. Taking Ghana as a case study,
researchers for Save the Children Fund, a UK-based charity, estimated
that between 1999 and 2004, the total number of doctors registered in the
UK and trained in Ghana, doubled from 143 to 293. By 2003/4 an estimated
cumulative total of 1021 Ghanaian nurses had registered in the UK. The
researchers estimate that Ghana has foregone around £35 million of its
training investment in health professionals. In comparison, the
K has saved £65 million in training costs by recruiting Ghanaian doctors
since 1998.

Professionals leave their home countries in Africa for many reasons and
AFFORD believes that the onus lies with African governments and employers
to create an environment in which their workers will feel willing and
able to stay to make their contribution to Africa?s development.
Meanwhile, among those who have already made the move are many able and
trained professionals, many of whom are refugees or asylum-seekers, often
relegated to the margins of society here in Britain.

"Live8419" will feature a world-exclusive with African artists singing
the hit single "Do they know it's summertime?" penned by AFFORD to raise
African aid for Britain. However, other African performers will be
invited to address the theme of "African agency" aiding Africa & Britain.

Reflecting mounting concerns about the absence of good governance here in
Britain - particularly in relation to the alleged illegality of detention
of asylum-seekers, as noted by Amnesty International - AFFORD will not
hand over aid directly to the British government but will make its
contribution to refugee-led organizations.

Notes for editors

"Whose Charity? Africa's aid to the NHS" is a briefing paper by Save the
Children Fund (see
http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/scuk_cache/scuk/cache/cmsattach/2380_b...)

The annual African Diaspora & Development Day or ad3 is organized by the
London-based African Foundation for Development (AFFORD). This year's
theme is "Enterprise Africa! Mobilizing the African diaspora's resources
to create enterprises, jobs & wealth in Africa". The event will take
place between 8.30am and 6pm on Saturday 2 July at The Rocket, 166-220
Holloway Road N7 8DB. The event will be followed by "Live8419 - Africa
Strikes Back" & an Afro Rhymes & Rhythms session with DJs from the
Shakara group from 7.00pm until late.

Honourable Professor Wangari Maathai is Assistant Minister for
Environment and Natural Resources, Republic of Kenya; Member of
Parliament, Tetu Constituency, Nyeri District, Republic of Kenya; Founder
and Former Coordinator, the Green Belt Movement.

In 2004 Professor Maathai became the first environmentalist and first
African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee
decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2004 to Wangari Maathai for
her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.

AFFORD's recent achievements include:

* Supported creation of two leading diaspora networks - African Diaspora
Voices for Africa's Development (ADVAD); Connections for Development

* Provided Africa-related careers training for nearly 100 young Africans
in London & secured internships in four African countries for young
diasporic Africans

* Contributed to & helped shape policy debates around migration/diaspora
& development with recommendations helping to influence government &
funder policies

* Helped to place & keep the African diaspora's contribution to Africa's
development firmly on the policy agenda

* Helped over 100 African diaspora organizations build their capacity as
development agencies

* Initiated the UK's first award ceremony for Africans in the diaspora
contributing to Africa's development

* Pioneered widely emulated models of mobilizing the African diaspora
thru initiation of the precursor to the African Diaspora & Development
Day in 2000

* Developed one of the UK's widest networks of African diaspora
organizations & individuals working for Africa's development.

For more information please contact:

Onyekachi Wambu

AFFORD

ad3 2005

31-33 Bondway, Vauxhall Cross, London SW8 1SJ

Tel: +44 (0)20 7587 3905

Fax: +44 (0)20 7587 3919

[email protected] or check the website: www.afford-uk.org