October 22, 2019

His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat

African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Re - AU Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao Dismissal

Your Excellency,
We bring you greetings from the African Diaspora Congress (ADC) based in the United
States of America. The ADC is a coalition of various groups and concerned citizens from
the African Diaspora committed to addressing critical development challenges affecting
Africa and peoples of African descent on a global scale. The Congress brings together
great businessmen and women, professionals, intellectuals, and activists of African
descent from various industry sectors living all over the world and especially in the
Diaspora. As an umbrella Diaspora organization, ADC reawakens the conscience of all
peoples of African descent on the need for investments and knowledge transfer to the
African continent.
Our main objectives are the promotion of peaceful, progressive and inclusive solutions
to issues and challenges facing Africa and the African Diaspora in order to compliment
the efforts being made in the continent by the African Union (AU) and other regional and
non-government organizations. We, like you, are working for the advancement,
sustainable development and growth of our peoples and societies. We stand for justice to
effect change and build effective, accountable, inclusive institutions at all levels (UN
SDG#16).
Permit us your excellency, to bring to your attention a pressing matter that deserves your
urgent intervention and resolution. Recently sir, your letter as Chairman of the African
Union Commission in Addis Ababa, dated October 7, 2019 unceremoniously and without
due process relieved Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao of her duties as AU Permanent
Representative to the USA with effect from November 1, 2019. As things stand sir,
supporters and peoples of African Descent from around the world are appalled by this
action and have denounced her dismissal. This is confirmed by ADC’s successful and
ongoing petition for her reinstatement on Change.org
(https://www.change.org/p/african-leaders-and-presidents-reinstate-african-union-
ambassador-chihombori-quao). Since we launched the petition a little over a week ago,
it has amassed over 60,000 signatures and counting. By this letter, we formally and
collectively request that you intervene to reinstate Ambassador Chihombori-Quao to her
position, with a formal letter to that effect and an apology.
As a medical practitioner for over 29 years here in the US, it is noteworthy that it took
Dr Chihombori-Quao a year to commit and accept her appointment as the AU
Ambassador to the United States. Once she did, she quickly transformed what used to be
a Protocol Office into a formidable AU embassy with minimal staffing. Soon, she began
to rally and engage the African Diaspora in line with AU Agenda 2063. To her credit,
Ambassador Chihombori-Quao successfully energized and connected the African
Diaspora to the AU’s mission like no other envoy before her. Within a couple of years,
she touched many lives, while advocating for Africa and her true liberation. She speaks
the truth, gives a voice to the voiceless, and has been a fearless leader who truly has
Africa at heart. If the truth relating especially to the neo-colonial exploitation of Africa
by former European colonial powers could cost the Ambassador her job, that leaves the
Diaspora bewildered as to the AU’s readiness and commitment to confront Africa’s
developmental challenges. In some sense, the removal of Ambassador Chihombori-Quao
can be viewed as a return to the former nonfunctional, dead-end AU protocol office that
did not serve Africa’s and the African Diaspora’s interests. Is this really what the AU
wants?
In case the AU does not notice, Ambassador Chihombori-Quao spends tireless days and
nights across the US and the Caribbean meeting and discussing realistic and practical
approaches to AU 2063. She is not your typical docile and do-nothing diplomat. She is
energetic, bold, and courageous. At various fora, Ambassador Chihombori-Quao has
spared no time in sensitizing the African Diaspora on the tasks ahead and their role in
uplifting the continent. Owing to her relentless efforts, thousands of African Diasporans
of all professions have increasingly become committed to supporting her efforts and the
AU Agenda 2063. For the first time in our experience, the African Diaspora has begun
to organize for engagement in development initiatives in Africa. All these efforts could
come to naught if her abrupt dismissal is allowed to stand.
In an era that places emphasis on the need to encourage women participation in
governance, treating one of the most highly visible, educated, progressive and engaging
African female diplomats in this way, is just plain distasteful. The African Diaspora
community in the United States who have had the privilege of building a strong rapport
with Ambassador Chihombori-Quao are shocked by these developments. She has
persistently placed Africa in the center-stage of many global discourses, bringing
awareness to new initiatives like AfCFTA, and seizing on every opportunity in
promoting the continent to attract investment from both the African Diaspora and the
international community. Her exemplary work on behalf of Africa in the United States
is simply irrefutable. We have long noted that for Africa to realistically detach itself from
the shackles of neo-colonialism or untie itself from the apron strings of its former colonial
powers, independence in policymaking and actions are paramount. Dr Chihombori-Quao
comes from that school of thought that calls for complete liberation, especially as African
Diaspora commemorates 400 Years of Africans in America.
Against this backdrop, if this abrupt and ill-advised dismissal is not properly addressed
by the AU by rescinding the letter, it will not only be a hideous stain on Africa but it will
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also set a bad precedent that would undermine the credibility of the African Union in the
eyes of the African Diaspora. The Diaspora will no longer take the African Union
seriously especially given the AUs’ past lukewarm efforts to engage the Diaspora. This
could in fact trigger international ostracism of the entire continental body, setting any
progress already made many decades. Such a dire consequence is one that the ADC and
all peoples of African Descent would not want to see.
Your Excellency, rescinding the termination letter is the best way forward! It is worth
noting that the African Diaspora is awake and mobilized; and will continue to be a force
to be reckoned with going forward. The global African Diaspora community has a stake
in this matter. How the AUC decides to address this issue will determine its future
relationship with the African Diaspora, especially in an environment that recognizes the
vital role of the Diaspora in African development. In the unlikely event that Ambassador
Chihombori-Quao is not reinstated and someone else is appointed in her stead, the
standing of AU Ambassador to the US position will be permanently tarnished and
compromised. The resultant loss of trust would greatly undermine cooperation between
the African Union and its global Diaspora. This should be a serious concern of the entire
AU as a body. Your Excellency, please understand that this matter is now beyond
Ambassador Chihombori-Quao. What is now at stake, is the future relationship between
the African Union and the entire African Diaspora and their friends from around the
world.
Your Excellency, for the good of all Africans and its Diaspora population, we ask that
you use your good offices to ensure that Justice is done in this matter, with the urgency
that it deserves.
Thank you for your anticipated attention to this matter.
Sincerely,

Prof Apollos Nwauwa Lady Alicia Hamilton

Secretary General Media Relations Director
secretary@africandiasporacongress.org pro@africandiasporacongress.org

CC:
 H.E. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of African Union (AU), President of Egypt
 All Heads of States and Government of African Union
 President of the United States
 US State Department
 US Congress
 US Congressional Black Caucus
 All Heads of African Missions to the Unites States
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