Refugees to showcase talent, entrepreneurial skills at displacement forum

Refugees will showcase their entrepreneurial skills and talent during this year's Africa Forum on Displacement. 

In a statement Monday, the organisers including Amahoro Coalition, Inkomoko, and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said the opportunity will enable the displaced communities to market their products for economic independence and self-reliance. 

The third Africa Forum on Displacement (AFD2025) that will take place between April 28 and 29, 2025 in Kakuma and Nairobi, is expected to bring together leaders from the private sector, government, philanthropy, and refugee communities to accelerate solutions for economic inclusion and social cohesion across Africa.

According to the organisers of the forum themed 'ALL IN," the private sector will drive the solutions to ensure integration of the refugees into the host communities, who will also have a stake in the initiative. 

AFD2025, the statement said, is organised in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and IKEA Foundation.

"Displaced communities have the skills, talents, and ambition to drive economic growth and innovation," said Nancy Aburi, Chief of Private Sector Partnerships, Africa at UNHCR.

"Through AFD2025, we are strengthening partnerships that invest in their potential and deliver lasting, market-led solutions," she added.

With nearly 45 million displaced persons living on the continent, AFD2025 will spotlight the role of inclusion, investment, and innovation in unlocking opportunities for displaced individuals and host communities.

Aburi said the summit will also feature high-level plenary sessions with leaders like James Mwangi (Equity Group Holdings), Reeta Roy (Mastercard Foundation), and Kelly Clements (UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner) and refugee entrepreneurs including Bereket Goitom (Canaan Group).

"Displaced entrepreneurs and communities already have the talent and resilience. They simply need equitable access to markets and capital," said Julienne Oyler, Co-Founder and CEO of Inkomoko. "At AFD2025, we are calling on the private sector to step up with real solutions and investments that will drive lasting impact."

The conference will culminate with a special Amahoro Fellowship Graduation ceremony, celebrating Africa’s first cohort of leaders with lived experience of displacement.

"AFD2025 is a call to action," said Isaac Kwaku Fokuo, Curator of the Amahoro Coalition. "It challenges all of us: businesses, governments, and communities to go ‘All IN’ for displaced people, not with charity, but with opportunity."