Botho-backed Amahoro Coalition Launches to Mobilize Private Sector Support for African Refugees
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Botho-backed Amahoro Coalition Launches to Mobilize Private Sector Support for African Refugees
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December 15, 2019
Geneva, 16 December 2019 - The Amahoro Coalition was launched today at the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) with the support of Botho Emerging Markets Group and the UNHCR Office of the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa. This landmark platform will mobilize the African private sector to be a key driver in the socio-economic transformation of refugee and host communities around the continent by promoting education and livelihoods.
Refugees, displaced persons, and asylum seekers represent over 70 million people worldwide. Sub-Saharan Africa hosts more than 26% of the world’s refugee population and 7 of the top countries of origin for refugees globally are in Africa. The perception of refugees has been limited to that of a humanitarian issue, restricted to the purview of NGOs and governments. The African private sector, in particular, has remained on the sidelines of the refugee issue, even though these communities represent significant - and mostly untapped - economic opportunities. In other regions of the world, private sector activity surrounding the refugee cause is substantial, in 2015, for example, the private sector raised over $50 million to address the European refugee crisis. Interestingly, a 2018 Botho study revealed that, though the African private sector is willing and able to support refugee communities, the structures to facilitate this are lacking.
According to Amahoro Coalition founder, Isaac Kwaku Fokuo Jr., “Africa’s refugee crisis is not something that NGOs and governments can solve on their own. Now more than ever, we need businesses to step up and act. By increasing the private sector’s involvement in this cause, we aim to change Africa’s refugee narrative and create opportunities for millions of people with ideas and potential who simply need the tools and the support to thrive.”
The Amahoro Coalition was established to address this gap for private sector engagement in developing home-grown solutions to transform the refugee situation in Africa and will develop best practices that can be emulated by other emerging markets.
Fokuo Jr., further added, “In the months leading up to the Global Refugee Forum, the Coalition, as part of a pilot program, has successfully placed the first cohort of refugee students in the African Leadership University in Kigali, Rwanda. Additionally, the Coalition, on behalf of the private sector, provided inputs to the Kampala Declaration on Jobs, Livelihoods, and Self-reliance for Refugees, Returnees and Host Communities in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region. This Coalition will not only increase the private sector’s engagement with refugees but will also provide refugee entrepreneurs with the necessary tools to build successful enterprises.”
The Coalition’s founding members comprise African business leaders including;
Isaac Kwaku Fokuo Jr., Founder, and Principal, Botho Emerging Markets Group (Kenya and UAE)
Alan Kasujja, Host, Newsday - BBC World Service (United Kingdom)
Nuradin Osman, Vice President and General Manager for Africa, AGCO Corporation (South Africa)
Julie Gichuru, Head of Public Affairs and Communications, Mastercard Foundation (Kenya)
Patrick Bitature, Founder and Chairman, Simba Group of Companies (Uganda)
Kris Senanu, Managing Director - Enterprise Division, Telkom (Kenya)
These leaders have collectively committed to leveraging their expertise, experience, and networks to support enterprises keen to work with refugee communities. Nuradin Osman and Alan Kasujja themselves are former refugees from Somalia and Uganda, respectively, and are a testament to the potential of refugees to contribute positively towards society when offered the means and opportunity to do so.
UNHCR’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Mohamed Affey, reaffirmed that “Business champions are critical to supporting the refugee cause. They add an important voice especially to efforts to help more refugees and their host communities achieve economic inclusion. We look forward to working with this coalition and other partners who wish to see the African private sector more engaged in finding solutions for refugees.”
The Coalition is looking forward to engaging and partnering with other private sector firms, individuals, and development organizations that are passionate about empowering refugees.