Africa Sixth Region Global (A6RG) has appointed Engr. James Ogbuka Umekwe as its United States National Coordinator, with a mandate to expand the organisation’s structures across the country and strengthen economic, cultural and developmental ties between Africa and its diaspora communities.
The appointment, announced in Toronto, Canada, is part of the organisation’s strategy to mobilise Africans in the diaspora and create institutional platforms for collaboration, community empowerment and socio-economic advancement.
In his new capacity, Umekwe will oversee the strategic expansion of A6RG’s operational framework across the United States, beginning with the establishment of state-level development structures and working groups.
The organisation said its initial focus would be the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) region, where it plans to establish structures to coordinate its activities and facilitate broader participation by diaspora communities.
The appointment also formalises an institutional partnership between A6RG and the Ogbuka Umekwe Hope Foundation, bringing both organisations together to pursue initiatives aimed at building sustainable economic, cultural and developmental bridges between Africa and Africans living in the United States.
The partnership is expected to provide a framework for community engagement, professional networking and collaborative programmes that connect diaspora resources and expertise with development opportunities on the African continent.
Deputy Secretary-General of A6RG, Dr. Sandra Evadney Bowen, described Umekwe’s appointment as an important step in strengthening the organisation’s leadership and expanding its programmes in the United States.
“We are delighted to welcome Engr. Umekwe to the executive leadership team as United States National Coordinator,” Bowen said.
She expressed confidence that his commitment to diaspora empowerment and humanitarian development would help the organisation mobilise strategic partnerships and implement its institutional programmes across North America.
According to the organisation, the new leadership arrangement is intended to strengthen its capacity to coordinate diaspora participation and build functional structures capable of supporting its objectives at state and community levels.
The operational framework accompanying the appointment outlines guidelines for community empowerment, the creation of state-level structures and organisational participation through professional membership networks.
These structures are expected to provide channels through which professionals and other members of the African diaspora can participate in A6RG’s activities, contribute expertise and support initiatives aimed at strengthening engagement with the continent.
Accepting the appointment, Umekwe expressed appreciation to the leadership of A6RG, including Bowen and Secretary-General Dr. Kalu, for the confidence reposed in him.
He also highlighted their shared vision of collaborative progress and socio-economic advancement, signalling his commitment to working with the organisation’s leadership and relevant stakeholders to advance its objectives in the United States.
The appointment places responsibility on Umekwe to coordinate the organisation’s expansion efforts, facilitate the establishment of state-level structures and encourage participation among diaspora professionals and community groups.
The partnership with the Ogbuka Umekwe Hope Foundation also provides an institutional platform for cooperation in pursuit of A6RG’s development objectives.
For A6RG, the expansion initiative forms part of its broader mission to organise, empower and unify the African diaspora, which it identifies as the Sixth Region of Africa.
The organisation seeks to promote stronger relationships between diaspora communities and the African continent through strategic partnerships, trade, economic cooperation and development initiatives.
By establishing coordinated structures in the United States, A6RG aims to create a more organised platform for diaspora engagement and strengthen opportunities for collaboration between African communities abroad and stakeholders on the continent.
The organisation has identified community empowerment, professional participation and institutional partnerships as key elements of its operational framework.
The success of the initiative will depend on the effective establishment of the proposed state-level structures, the mobilisation of diaspora professionals and the development of partnerships capable of translating the organisation’s objectives into practical programmes.
A6RG said Umekwe’s appointment would support its efforts to expand its institutional presence and advance its engagement with African diaspora communities in North America.
Africa Sixth Region Global is an international institution dedicated to organising, empowering and unifying the African diaspora, formally recognised as the Sixth Region of Africa.
Its stated objectives include fostering strategic partnerships, promoting trade and encouraging economic development between diaspora communities and the African continent.