The Western Hemishpere African Diaspora Network (WHADN) was created to implement
Article 3(q)
(amended) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU): [The Union shall] invite and encourge the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of our continent, in the building of the African Union." This initiative was launched during the historic
First African Union Western Hemisphere Diaspora Forum
held in Washington, D.C. from December 17-19, 2002, an event convened by the AU and coordinated by
The Foundation for Democracy in Africa.