Enhancing Diaspora Engagement and Migration Management in Southern Africa
International Organization for Migration (IOM) is engaging in the launch of several new initiatives aimed at enhancing diaspora engagement and migration management in the Southern Africa region. These initiatives, aligned with the SADC Regional Migration Policy Framework and Action Plan (2022-2030), seek to leverage the potential of well-managed migration and harness the contributions of the diaspora for social and economic development.
The first initiative is the Regional Diaspora Engagement Programme, also known as the MIRAC Diaspora Project. This project aims to create an enabling environment for maximizing the socio-economic development potential of diasporas in the region. It will foster coordination among regional stakeholders and develop comprehensive strategies to mobilize and utilize diaspora resources for regional integration and development.
As part of the diaspora engagement efforts, IOM has also launched the Southern Africa Diaspora Page on the iDiaspora platform. This platform will serve as a central hub for mapping, registering, and profiling the Southern African diaspora. It will facilitate better coordination, networking, and information sharing among diaspora communities, governments, and development partners.
Furthermore, IOM is collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Union Commission (AUC) on a joint project to further strengthen engagement with the diaspora. This project will focus on policy development, capacity building, and the creation of sustainable diaspora investment opportunities.
These new initiatives build upon the outcomes of the recent Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA) Ministerial meeting, where the Maputo Diaspora Declaration was endorsed. This declaration emphasizes the importance of diaspora engagement for regional integration and development, calling for the development of a regional diaspora policy framework and programme.
The launch of these initiatives marks a significant step towards empowering the diaspora, recognizing them as valuable development actors, and promoting their active participation in the social and economic development of their home countries and the SADC community.
IOM remains committed to fostering dialogue, facilitating partnerships, and driving innovative approaches to diaspora engagement and migration management in Southern Africa. By harnessing the potential of the diaspora and promoting well-managed migration, the region can achieve sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous development.
IOM recently also organized a Regional Diaspora Engagement and Investment Forum in Mauritius, showcasing its commitment to fostering diaspora engagement and promoting economic investment in Southern Africa.
The Forum, held in collaboration with country offices, headquarters, and the government of Mauritius, served as a crucial platform for stakeholders to share information, exchange best practices, and build a common understanding of diaspora engagement and management at local, national, sectoral, and regional levels.
Recognizing the significant developmental potential of well-managed migration in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the IOM emphasized the importance of harnessing the socio-economic contributions of the diaspora. The SADC Regional Migration Policy Framework and Action Plan (2022 to 2030) provided a strategic roadmap to define SADC's diaspora, develop a regional diaspora policy and program, and identify the needs of different socio-economic groups within the diaspora.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, member states of the SADC realized the crucial role played by the diaspora in providing humanitarian assistance to stranded migrants within and outside the region. This recognition laid a robust foundation for understanding the engagement between member states and their diaspora communities, leading to a regional study funded by the IOM. The study recommended a regional diaspora policy framework and program to facilitate a more coordinated approach in diaspora engagement among SADC member states.
At the recent Ministerial meeting during the 2022 Migration Dialogue in Southern Africa (MIDSA), member states endorsed the Maputo Diaspora Declaration, aiming to enhance regional integration and South-South Cooperation through diaspora engagement. The declaration emphasized the steps taken towards institutionalizing diaspora engagement and the necessity to empower diasporas by recognizing them as development actors. It also highlighted the importance of capacity-building for policymakers, focal points, diaspora associations, and the SADC secretariat.
Looking ahead, the IOM, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), plans to implement strategies to facilitate enhanced diaspora financial transfer, particularly in terms of investment in countries of origin. Additionally, the region will be part of a continental project funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Union (AU), aimed at catalyzing private investments, including from the diaspora. The project will support private sector development by promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, and business linkages, with a special focus on internally displaced populations and hosting communities.
As part of its ongoing efforts to map, register, and profile the diaspora, IOM has established the Southern Africa Diaspora Page on the Global iDiaspora platform. This initiative will enable effective engagement of the diaspora and facilitate better understanding of their priorities and needs.
The International Organisation for Migration remains committed to strengthening diaspora engagement, promoting economic investments, and facilitating collaboration among stakeholders in Southern Africa. By harnessing the potential of the diaspora and recognizing their role as development actors, the IOM aims to contribute to the social and economic development of both their home countries and the SADC community.
For information contact Emmanuel Quarchie equarshie@iom.int.