Strengthening the African Diaspora Program of the African Union Commission This program seeks to facilitate capacity of the African Union (AU)specifically the AU's Representational mission in the United States of America (in Washington, DC) to carry out its core functions which include (a) developing, maintaining, and undertaking resource mobilization, and (b) building constructive and productive institutional relationships with the African Diaspora and international institutions, multilateral and bilateral and other development partners in the Americas such as the Bretton Woods Institutions, the Government of the US, African Diasporas in the Americas, and the Organization of American States. This program seeks to enhance capacity of the African Union (AU), specifically the AU's Representational Mission to the United States of America (in Washington, DC), to carry out its core functions of developing and maintaining productive institutional relationships with the African Diaspora in the Americas.  Outcomes  The program will contribute to the following outcomes:  . Strengthened knowledge sharing capacity of the AU Representational Mission with Diasporas and development partners in the Americas;  .    Development of a reliable Database of African Diaspora networks and individuals;  .    Initiation of resource mobilization efforts from the African Diaspora and private sector in the Americas;  .    Improved coordination with the African Diaspora in the Americas (North America, the Caribbean, and Latin America);  .     Enhanced capacity of the AUC to participate in meetings with international, bilateral and multilateral institutions, and other global dialogues on the African Diaspora.  Background  The AU, African governments, the World Bank Group, and other development partners of Africa have realized that the African Diaspora ("peoples of African origin living outside the continent, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality and who are willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the African Union") must become full partners in the continent's development.  The AU has begun taking the steps necessary for harnessing the expertise and resources of African Diasporas as the sixth (6th) "region." The AU established a Representational Mission to the United States of America with an Ambassador (in Washington, DC).  This Mission has as its primary role, helping to mobilize African Diasporas for the continent's development.  The Mission is currently staffed with one Resident Representative, who is supported by a small core staff, and basic office facilities and tools.  The World Bank launched its Mobilizing the African Diaspora for Development initiative in September 2007. This initiative is embedded in the Capacity Development in Africa: Management Action Plan (CDMAP) which was approved by the Board in September 2006, and which states "... Moving beyond capacity building to capacity development and retention will require an unrelenting focus on unleashing, nurturing, and retaining the existing capacity and better use of local and Diaspora talent" (page 1, para 2 of CDMAP). The main pillars of the Mobilizing the African Diaspora for Development initiative are to work with:  . The African Union Commission (AUC) and provide technical support to its African Diaspora program.  . Partner country governments to: find ways of engaging the Diaspora in the design and implementation of the on-going portfolio of World Bank-assisted projects, and in the planned pipeline of proposed new World Bank-assisted projects; and to assist in creating the "enabling environments" for Diaspora engagement including policies and programs affecting return, retention, virtual participation/contributions and investment in development.  . Development Partners and others to establish a multi-donor African Diaspora Engagement and Facilitation Fund (ADEFF) to provide grants and technical assistance support to Diaspora organizations, networks, and communities for Diaspora-led development projects and programs to be implemented in African countries.  . The African Development Bank to establish and support a Diaspora Remittance Investment based on global experiences and initiatives that exploit the benefits of Diaspora remittances for in-country investments for development.  . Diaspora organizations and professionals, donor agencies, and African Governments to share knowledge and improve communication among and between all parties with the objective of enhancing Diaspora contributions to development.  The proposed IDF financing is being requested to strengthen the Representational Mission to acquire the capacity for interacting seamlessly with AU Member State Missions in the Americas, the African Diaspora and international, multilateral and bilateral institutions and other development partners in the Americas.