Strengthening partnerships with diaspora organizations for rural poverty reduction

Through transfers of capital, skills and know-how, migrants and diaspora communities actively contribute to home and destination countries’ economic growth, spurring economic diversification and job creation in the agrifood sector.

FAO is committed to maximizing the benefits of migration for agriculture and rural communities through the engagement of diaspora in agribusiness, in close collaboration with diaspora organizations such as the Africa-Europe Diaspora Development Platform (ADEPT), a network of more than 200 African diaspora organizations based in Europe.

Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding in 2019 in Brussels, FAO and ADEPT have been working to enhance the capacity and impact of African diaspora organizations for rural poverty reduction.

In April this year, FAO was invited to participate in ADEPT’s partnership roundtable: Building Prosperity and Stability Together. Why is it important to invest in African diaspora projects?  

Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Brussels Raschad Al-Khafaji provided a broad overview of FAO´s Strategic Framework 2022–2031 and the related Programme Priority Areas. He noted that the holistic approach FAO is following requires the involvement of all stakeholders. Referring to the side event that FAO Brussels organized together with the International Organization for Migration at the Global Diaspora Summit, held in Dublin in early April, he offered a number of suggestions on how to mobilize diaspora potential to boost livelihood opportunities in agribusiness.  

The roundtable brought together many of ADEPT’s partners to debate how to enhance partnerships and inform ADEPT’s strategy for 2022–2026. Wide agreement was expressed concerning the importance of recognizing diasporas as agents of development and institutionalizing their engagement in policy consultations.  

FAO supports efforts to achieve Global Compact for Migration Objective 19, which seeks to create conditions for migrants and diaspora communities so that they can make a full contribution to sustainable development in all countries. The Global Compact for Migration was signed in December 2018 by the majority of UN Member States in Marrakesh, Morocco. This non-binding document presents a significant opportunity to improve the governance of migration, address the challenges associated with today’s migration, and strengthen the contribution of migrants and migration to sustainable development.
 
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