Diaspora Empowerment and Engagement

The Global Programme “Shaping development-oriented migration” (MEG) assists partner countries in leveraging the benefits of regular migration and engaging diaspora for sustainable development.

Working on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the MEG is active in up to 15 partner countries around the globe. It contributes towards implementing the GCM and is part of a comprehensive approach to migration and development. The MEG contributes to the following objectives: 

As part of the Migration and Sustainable Development in the Gambia Project (MSDG), on 23 September 2017, the President of The Gambia declared that a Stake in the Nation Forum (SNF) will be held annually in The Gambia. 

The Emigrant Support Programme is a tangible expression of the Irish Government's support of, commitment to, and interest in the global Irish community. It aims to strengthen the international Irish community and its bond with Ireland. Through this programme, the Government wants to fund projects that will have a clear and identifiable impact on supporting and building global Irish communities.

The Government, through the Emigrant Support Programme, is committed to prioritising the following:

PEOPLE

In 2022, IOM as the lead international agency working on issues related to human mobility and as Coordinator of the UN Network on Migration (UNMN), co-hosted the first Global Diaspora Summit (GDS), in partnership with the Government of Ireland and other lead participating states. The Summit assisted States and partners in taking stock of achievements vis-à-vis Objective 19 as a contribution towards the quadrennial International Migration Review Forum.

On 26 September 2023, the US President Biden announced the inaugural members of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States. The establishment of this Council was a significant commitment announced by Vice President Harris on behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration during the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, aimed at enhancing dialogue between United States officials and the African Diaspora.

The O-REMIT project by the International Organization for Migration uses data from various sources to analyze transaction costs and aim for a threshold below 3%. This provides insights on cost-efficient remittance options and help the diaspora in Belgium make meaningful investments in their home country.

Three streams will be implemented:

Stream 1: Understand the remittance flows and behaviour of diaspora in Belgium.

Diasporas and transnational communities are agents of change, fostering connections across domains and countries. This brief presents relevant data and trends on diaspora engagement, including estimations, contributions, current trends, and future opportunities.

This IOM report summarizes the key information shared during the four regional consultations held on September 25 and 27, 2023. 

The objective of this report is to update key partners on the progress made during the consultative process aimed at establishing the Global Diaspora Policy Alliance.

This IOM report focuses on the legal framework of diaspora engagement, evaluating the rights and opportunities available to diasporas in selected countries of origin and destination. It examines the understanding of the “diaspora” by governments, its reflection in national policies and legislation, the rights granted to diasporas, and the policies’ consideration of women’s role and participation in diaspora engagement.

France has adopted a Migration and Development Action Plan for the period 2018-2022, which recognises the role of diasporas in France and undertakes to support initiatives aimed at developing cooperation and solidarity between territories of origin and destination.
While the numerous studies on the financial transfers of migrants to Southern countries and the dynamism of diasporas in Northern countries confirm the importance of these issues, they still need to be better documented with regard to young people and women.