Countries in the developing world have seen their best and brightest emigrate. The reasons have ranged from aspiration to oppression. Historically, the departure of talent has been counted as a loss to the societies and economies left behind.

But flown talent does not have to be lost talent. It may be just as valuable for being abroad as it would have have been had it stayed at home. Realising that value is what the Global South Africans initiative is all about.

Many emigrants retain strong emotional bonds with their native lands and, when the opportunity arises, are keen to contribute to, and participate in, the success of the nations that bore them. Everywhere countries are waking up to the mother lode their diasporas’ knowledge, connections and goodwill represent.

The question is how to harness these assets.

In the case of South Africa, one part of the answer is the Global South Africans initiative launched by the IMC is building a worldwide network of accomplished and well-connected offshore South Africans and their peers who share a strong affinity with South Africa. The members of this network are united by a faith in South Africa’s future and a desire to share their knowledge, wisdom and networks in support of South Africa’s transformation into a prosperous and successful non-racial democracy.

A seperate, but complementary, initiative — the Homecoming Revolution — seeks the physical repatriation of skills. GSA starts from the premise that its members are extremely valuable where they are.  They serve as vital links between South Africa and the global economy where they represent the true calibre of the men and women of all races and backgrounds who together are making South Africa a beacon of hope in a troubled world. They are respected leaders in their fields. They are proud of where they came from. Where they came from is proud of them.

The GSA initiative is not about building a database of members and seeing what happens.

It is about engaging members as actively as their other commitments allow with carefully targeted requests for knowledge and ideas from stakeholders in Souyh Africa.

Nor is GSA a club of expatriates inwardly focused on personal business opportunities. Other organisations exist to serve such goals. GSA is for people whose reward comes from seeing South Africa fulfil its extraordinary promise.

IMC is marketing the GSA network to government departments, the private sector, academic institutions and NGO’s. It is the channel through which requests are routed to members and it helps members make the right connections in South Africa to pursue their own projects and ideas.

The aim is to mobilise greater South Africa in the service of the greatest possible South Africa.