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Diaspora; the Future Bridges of Investment, Education, and Innovation | Article Review

The article titled "Empowering Diaspora to Be the Future Bridges of Investment, Education, and Innovation" presents observations and recommendations from diaspora studies conducted in Germany, Ireland, and Italy, as well as best practices from EU member states. The article highlights the work of ICMPD (International Centre for Migration Policy Development) in engaging diasporas and supporting migration governance. It also discusses the preliminary results from the diaspora studies, practices in EU member states, and EU support in diaspora engagement.

The article begins by introducing ICMPD's work on diaspora engagement and its goal of comprehensive and sustainable migration governance. The organization emphasizes the importance of engaging migrants and diasporas as key stakeholders in the migration process. ICMPD's general approach involves policy and strategy development, knowledge exchanges, trainings, and outreach programs to empower diaspora organizations and enhance cooperation.

The Migration Study

The article provides preliminary results from diaspora studies in Germany, Ireland, and Italy. In Germany, the study identifies three types of Indian diaspora organizations and highlights the challenges faced by Indian students, such as lack of information about university admissions and targeted support in securing employment. In Ireland, the study focuses on Indians coming for education, healthcare work, and business, and highlights the fragmented nature of diaspora organizations with limited capacities. The study in Italy emphasizes the varying conditions faced by Indian emigrants based on legal status and employment situations, as well as the lack of links with host communities.

The article also presents practices from EU member states in diaspora engagement; "ICMPD works on diaspora engagement in many parts of the world and, most recently, also started to support EU Member States and EU partner countries."

For example, Poland has a government program focusing on cooperation between Poland and Poles abroad, including language teaching, cultural preservation, integration, and incentivizing the return of Poles and people of Polish origin. Ireland's diaspora policy emphasizes providing welfare services, facilitating outreach, and developing communication and information services. Lithuania focuses on maintaining national identity, involvement of Lithuanians living abroad in public life, strengthening state-diaspora ties, and attracting emigrants to return. Spain has initiatives at the municipal level to attract returning citizens, social inclusion measures, and work-related support for returnees.

Practical Solutions to Facilitate Diaspora Engagement

The article concludes by discussing ways forward in diaspora engagement, including pre-departure and arrival support, knowledge exchange, support for vulnerable emigrant communities, building diaspora organizations' capacities, and communication and engagement strategies.

SOURCE: The International Labour Organization