Defining home country programmes and incentives conducive to diaspora engagement for development

Numerous home country governments have launched official programmes dedicated to mobilizing their diasporas abroad for development purposes. These governmental programmes take different forms but face a common challenge: to be recognized as legitimate by diasporas. Diaspora initiatives have usually been in place prior to these governmental programmes and diaspora groups have often acted as pressure groups, which explains the reluctance of some diaspora individuals or organizations to get involved in common activities with the government. Building real partnerships with diasporas and engaging in productive dialogue and cooperation can be a lengthy and complex process. To do so, governments create specific institutions in charge of working with diasporas, design websites to reach out to expatriates and introduce specific incentives to attract their contributions to the home country.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions