About me
Angela Naa Afoley Odai serves as the Head of the Diaspora Division within the Directorate of Citizens and Diaspora Organizations (CIDO) at the African Union Commission. In this capacity, she leads the African Union’s work on diaspora engagement, and CIDO holds the continental mandate to coordinate the African Union’s Reparations Agenda—an integral component of the global movement for restorative justice for people of African descent.
With over 16 years of professional experience in migration governance and diaspora affairs, Angela has been instrumental in shaping continental strategies and policy frameworks that centre the diaspora as key stakeholders in Africa’s development, integration, and global partnerships. Her work has consistently elevated the voices of African diaspora communities and advanced their inclusion in policymaking processes at national, regional, and continental levels.
Before joining the African Union, she served as Labour Migration Advisor with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) under the Programme Migration for Development, where she provided strategic advisory support on labour migration and mobility frameworks. At the International Organization for Migration (IOM), she played a pioneering role as a Diaspora Engagement Consultant, leading the establishment of Ghana’s Diaspora Support Unit and the National Platform for Diaspora Engagement, Migration, and Development—initiatives that have become models of best practice in the region.
Angela holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with Information Studies from the University of Ghana, and a Research Master’s degree in Democratic Governance and Civil Society from the University of Osnabrück in Germany. Her academic foundation, combined with her extensive field experience, reflects her steadfast commitment to promoting inclusive governance, reparative justice, and meaningful diaspora participation in Africa’s transformation agenda.
