AKWABA AFRICAN DIASPORA FESTIVAL (AADF) 2026

Moussa KONE is the CEO of Update Consulting International and a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow. A strong advocate for economic development and diaspora engagement, he is the Founder and Commissioner General of the Akwaba Africa Diaspora Festival.

Following several economic missions to the United States, conducted with Ivorian entrepreneurs and business leaders from the sub-region, Moussa KONE worked to establish sustainable business partnerships with the African diaspora as well as American investors and business executives. In response to the strong enthusiasm and tangible success generated by these missions, he, in collaboration with the Côte d’Ivoire Tourism Office in Washington, DC, launched the AKWABA AFRICAN DIASPORA FESTIVAL.

The festival is held both in Côte d’Ivoire and the United States, serving as a strategic platform to connect Africa with its diaspora and international partners. The outlook for the festival is highly promising, driven by strong participation from the African diaspora, African Americans, and U.S. institutions, which recognize the festival as a valuable opportunity to strengthen trade and economic cooperation between the United States, Africa, and the rest of the world.

Through the festival, several members of the African diaspora and African Americans have already begun investing and launching businesses in Africa, contributing to economic growth and cross-continental collaboration.