Policy frameworks and diaspora advocacy play a critical role in mobilizing resources and shaping investment flows. With recent momentum, from the U.S. Congress introducing the African Diaspora and Investment Act to African governments reducing trade barriers, diaspora voices are increasingly central to sustainable development.

This session will surface how diaspora-led action, in partnership with African governments and local partners, can drive structural reforms, such as reducing the interest burden on sovereign and corporate borrowing, debt restructuring, and advocating for equitable terms in global finance. The session will examine methods to amplify intra-diaspora collaboration, support free trade and regional integration (e.g. AfCFTA), and promote policies that lower borrowing costs in Africa. Participants will explore how collective advocacy can convert financial pressure into development opportunities, and how ADN and partners can act as bridge-builders across continents.