Reversing the brain drain

With Africa operating in an increasingly competitive global economy, one of the most vexing issues facing the development of the continent is the 'brain-drain' syndrome. The problem challenging many African countries today is how to stem the flow of professional people leaving to seek more lucrative employment overseas - and reverse this traffic of skills back to Africa.

It is estimated that Africa's brain drain sees some 23,000 academics, over 40,000 Africans with PhD's and 50,000 middle and senior management personnel, leaving the continent each year for the developed world. In Ghana alone, it is estimated that up to 68% of the country's trained medical staff left the country between 1993 and 2000.

One company which tackles this matter and works to encourage people to take employment back in Africa after working overseas is Africarecruit, an initiative taken by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) to build robust and enduring productive capacity throughout the continent.