The modern world has learned to sell everything. It sells identity as a subscription, culture as an aesthetic, and belonging as a consumer choice. It has also learned to sell “home” back to the people it stole from.

Return is not a luxury product. Return is dignity.

Dignity means the right to stand somewhere and not have to justify your presence. It means the ability to work without begging for permission. It means the right to build, to own, to inherit, and to belong. When return is treated as something you “buy,” dignity becomes a commodity. When dignity becomes a commodity, the ordinary are excluded by design.

The moral contradiction

If states can create special pathways for foreign corporate investors, the inability to create pathways for the descendants of enslaved Africans is not a technical problem. It is a political choice. Reducing return to a single upfront capital transfer prioritizes short-term cash over long-term nation-building.

What a dignity-based return looks like

In alignment with the African Diaspora SME Investment Initiative (ADSII), we advocate for a model where belonging is measured by contribution and commitment, not just an upfront price tag:

• A Right of Abode framework with clear, affordable permanent status.
• SME-Tier Accessibility: Lowering capital thresholds to the $30k–$50k range to include the ordinary Diaspora family.
• Economic Contribution measured over time through active local partnerships.
• Work Rights by Default to ensure self-sufficiency and dignity.

POLICY FRAMEWORK: STATUTORY RIGHT OF ABODE

Aligning National Immigration Policy with African Union 'Sixth Region' Objectives.

Executive Summary

This framework provides a structured pathway for Descendants of Enslaved Africans (DEA) to secure permanent residency through a specialized "Right of Abode" status. By lowering the capital barriers for SME-tier investors, states can capture significant Diaspora capital and specialized skills.

I. Strategic Eligibility

To ensure security and operational integrity, applicants must meet rigorous criteria:

• Ancestral Verification: Documented evidence of ancestral ties to the Diaspora.
• Biological Verification: DNA certification confirming African ancestry.
• Financial Self-Sufficiency: Proof of independent income, retirement funds, or active SME investment.

II. Economic Integration Tier

In alignment with the ADSII, this status is designed to facilitate long-term residency for investors in the $30,000 – $50,000 USD range. This ensures that residency is directly tied to national economic growth and rural development.

THE STRUCTURED APPLICATION PATHWAY

Julius Nyerere | Lead Coordinator, ADSII
Director, Jam Raye Agro Holdings Ltd.