HARNESSING DIASPORA HARNESSING DIASPORA INITIATIVES FOR SUB-REGIONAL INITIATIVES FOR SUB-REGIONAL

DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

Professor Bolade M. EyinlaProfessor Bolade M. Eyinla

Department of HistoryDepartment of History

University of IlorinUniversity of Ilorin

Ilorin, NIGERIAIlorin, NIGERIA

bmeyinla@unilorin.edu.ngbmeyinla@unilorin.edu.ng

TEASERTEASER

50 Million Overseas Chinese constitutes 50 Million Overseas Chinese constitutes one of the largest Diaspora in the World. one of the largest Diaspora in the World. This Diaspora has built up powerful This Diaspora has built up powerful business networks controlling significant business networks controlling significant sectors of the economy in South and East sectors of the economy in South and East Asia and beyond. In the course of 50 years, Asia and beyond. In the course of 50 years, they have made a tremendous contribution they have made a tremendous contribution to the socio-economic development of to the socio-economic development of China. The Government of China has China. The Government of China has accorded preferential treatment to the accorded preferential treatment to the Chinese Diaspora by creating an enabling Chinese Diaspora by creating an enabling environment for them to get involved in environment for them to get involved in the economic development of China the economic development of China

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NEED FOR PARAGIDM SHIFT NEED FOR PARAGIDM SHIFT

Need to stop talking about Need to stop talking about brain drain of human brain drain of human

capital from Africa and to capital from Africa and to focus attention on brain focus attention on brain

circulation and brain gain of circulation and brain gain of Africans for Continental Africans for Continental

DevelopmentDevelopment

THE DIASPORATHE DIASPORA

The word Diaspora originated The word Diaspora originated from the Greek words from the Greek words diaspeirõdiaspeirõ, , that is scatter.that is scatter.

The word used originally to The word used originally to describe the dispersal of Jews in describe the dispersal of Jews in the 8the 8thth to 6 to 6thth BC. BC.

It is now used to describe any It is now used to describe any group of people so dispersed.group of people so dispersed.

THE WEST AFRICAN DIASPORATHE WEST AFRICAN DIASPORA

West African Diaspora refers to all persons West African Diaspora refers to all persons originating from the West African Sub-region originating from the West African Sub-region who reside, work, or pursue educational who reside, work, or pursue educational careers in various host countries.careers in various host countries.

People of West African origin who maintain People of West African origin who maintain strong sentimental and material links with strong sentimental and material links with their respective home countries in the sub-their respective home countries in the sub-region.region.

Peoples of African descent who trace their Peoples of African descent who trace their roots back to West Africa and have such roots back to West Africa and have such attachments to the sub-region. attachments to the sub-region.

THE WEST AFRICAN DIASPORATHE WEST AFRICAN DIASPORA

West African Diaspora is not a collective West African Diaspora is not a collective group with collective identities.group with collective identities.

They are not homogeneous entity, but They are not homogeneous entity, but are heterogeneous individuals and are heterogeneous individuals and groups with diverse goals and interestgroups with diverse goals and interest

Operate through informal, ad-hoc and Operate through informal, ad-hoc and disparate structures outside of disparate structures outside of mainstream development agencies mainstream development agencies

THE WEST AFRICAN THE WEST AFRICAN DIASPORADIASPORA

There exists among them the possibility of There exists among them the possibility of transnational cooperation and transnational cooperation and collaboration.collaboration.

The existence of such cooperation and The existence of such cooperation and collaboration are real and must be collaboration are real and must be acknowledged by ECOWAS and the acknowledged by ECOWAS and the member states.member states.

To do otherwise may lead to the exclusion To do otherwise may lead to the exclusion of many individuals, communities and of many individuals, communities and networks willing to contribute to national networks willing to contribute to national and regional development. and regional development.

THE WEST AFRICAN DIASPORATHE WEST AFRICAN DIASPORA

African Governments at national, regional African Governments at national, regional and continental level must not be:and continental level must not be:ObliviousOblivious Indifferent Indifferent Hostile to their Diaspora and their Hostile to their Diaspora and their

progeny.progeny. Doing so means overlooking an important Doing so means overlooking an important

development resourcedevelopment resource Rather they must develop an Efficient Rather they must develop an Efficient

Diaspora Strategy (EDS) in mobilising Diaspora Strategy (EDS) in mobilising human & fiscal capital for developmenthuman & fiscal capital for development

IMPORTANCE OF THE DIASPORAIMPORTANCE OF THE DIASPORA

An Efficient Diaspora Strategy (EDS) must An Efficient Diaspora Strategy (EDS) must be enabling, inclusionary and operated as be enabling, inclusionary and operated as a partnership.a partnership.

EDS has become an important EDS has become an important developmental resource. developmental resource.

EDS is becoming critical for national, EDS is becoming critical for national, regional and continental political and regional and continental political and socio-economic development.socio-economic development.

EDS increasingly occupies a central EDS increasingly occupies a central theme in international development theme in international development debates.debates.

IMPORTANCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DIASPORA DIASPORA

EDS assist in promoting developmentEDS assist in promoting development

Through Foreign Direct Investment Through Foreign Direct Investment Remittance of money & other Remittance of money & other

resourcesresources Participation in political processesParticipation in political processes Encouraging tourism and cultural Encouraging tourism and cultural

understanding understanding Transfer of knowledge, experience, Transfer of knowledge, experience,

know-how and intellectual capital.know-how and intellectual capital.

ENGAGING THE DIASPORAENGAGING THE DIASPORA

Strategies:Strategies: Identify Diaspora Groups & CommunitiesIdentify Diaspora Groups & Communities Build a network with these communitiesBuild a network with these communities Establish positive communication with themEstablish positive communication with them Establish an agenda for action with themEstablish an agenda for action with them Provide an enabling and adequate policy Provide an enabling and adequate policy

environmentenvironment Acknowledge ability of the Diaspora to bring new Acknowledge ability of the Diaspora to bring new

political and economic ideas, skills, investments, political and economic ideas, skills, investments, and above all, new ways of doing thingsand above all, new ways of doing things

ENGAGING THE DIASPORAENGAGING THE DIASPORA

ECOWAS COUNTRIES WITH ACTIVE ECOWAS COUNTRIES WITH ACTIVE DIASPORA POLICY & STRATEGYDIASPORA POLICY & STRATEGY

NIGERIA: Ministries, Agencies, NIGERIA: Ministries, Agencies, Departments, NIDO, PSOs and CBOsDepartments, NIDO, PSOs and CBOs

GHANA: Ministries, Agencies, GHANA: Ministries, Agencies, Departments, Joseph Project and HTAsDepartments, Joseph Project and HTAs

MALI: Full Fledged MinistryMALI: Full Fledged Ministry SENEGAL: Full Fledged MinistrySENEGAL: Full Fledged Ministry

ENGAGING THE DIASPORAENGAGING THE DIASPORA

Strategies:Strategies: Improving the availability of relevant data Improving the availability of relevant data

on Diaspora populationon Diaspora population Embark on advocacy and capacity building Embark on advocacy and capacity building

activities activities Strengthen partnership among all Strengthen partnership among all

stakeholders, e.g. stakeholders, e.g. private institutions, private institutions, academia, public enterprises and other academia, public enterprises and other development stakeholdersdevelopment stakeholders

Develop joint strategies for developmentDevelop joint strategies for development

ENGAGING THE DIASPORAENGAGING THE DIASPORA

Recognize the Diaspora as full citizens and Recognize the Diaspora as full citizens and recognize their initiatives, competencies recognize their initiatives, competencies and capabilities for institutional change and and capabilities for institutional change and building leadershipbuilding leadership

Establish organized structure for harnessing Establish organized structure for harnessing Diaspora initiatives and contributionDiaspora initiatives and contribution

Entrench adequate strategies into a Entrench adequate strategies into a national policy on Diasporanational policy on Diaspora

Address structural institutional and Address structural institutional and systemic roadblocks against mainstreaming systemic roadblocks against mainstreaming Diaspora into national/regional political and Diaspora into national/regional political and socio-economic lifesocio-economic life

ENGAGING THE DIASPORAENGAGING THE DIASPORA

Regional Focus Areas:Regional Focus Areas: Infrastructure, Science and ICTInfrastructure, Science and ICT Development of Small, Medium & Development of Small, Medium &

Micro EnterprisesMicro Enterprises Enhancement of Entrepreneurial and Enhancement of Entrepreneurial and

Technical Skill for the YouthTechnical Skill for the Youth Promoting FDIPromoting FDI

ENGAGING THE DIASPORAENGAGING THE DIASPORAAddress:Address: View of Diaspora “foreigners” with lots of money View of Diaspora “foreigners” with lots of money

to spend and thus treated unfairly, routinely to spend and thus treated unfairly, routinely overcharged and often misledovercharged and often misled

State of insecurity as high level of security State of insecurity as high level of security translates into high level of return, whereas low translates into high level of return, whereas low level of security implies low returnlevel of security implies low return

Create conducive environment for Business Create conducive environment for Business Development to mitigate deplorable state of Development to mitigate deplorable state of infrastructure, epileptic power supply, health infrastructure, epileptic power supply, health facilities, inefficient capital market, corruption, facilities, inefficient capital market, corruption, poor investment climate and public law poor investment climate and public law enforcement mechanismsenforcement mechanisms

ENGAGING THE DIASPORAENGAGING THE DIASPORA

Develop Partnership with the World Bank, Develop Partnership with the World Bank, UNDP, IOM and relevant development UNDP, IOM and relevant development partners partners

Adapt international best practice Adapt international best practice standards and have assisted several standards and have assisted several countries/regions in Latin America, the countries/regions in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, and AfricaCaribbean, Asia, and Africa

Adopt Benchmark practices of Adopt Benchmark practices of countries/regions that have implemented countries/regions that have implemented successful programme in Diaspora successful programme in Diaspora engagementengagement

ENGAGING THE DIASPORAENGAGING THE DIASPORA

THANK YOU.THANK YOU.