Over the past ten years IOM’s experience in ac­companying governments through programmes, initiatives, studies and nu­merous conferences con­cerning Migration for De­velopment in Africa (MIDA) and similar initiatives in Latin America and the Car­ibbean, Asia and the Pacific have demonstrated that migration can bring signifi­cant benefits for social and economic development.

This paper explores how the occurrence of a natural disaster interplays with the migration-development nexus by reviewing the impact of the Indian Ocean Tsunami on migration issues in three affected countries: Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. This paper focuses on three particular aspects of how natural disasters interplay with the migration/development dynamic: - Impact of natural disasters on migrant communities, in particular heightened vulnerabilities and lack of access to assistance.

This is the outcome of an expert meeting organized jointly by the Social Science Resarch Council (SSRC), IOM, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Centre on Migration Policy and Society (COMPAS).

The MIDA Ghana/Senegal Programme  was promoted by IOM and supported by the Italian Cooperation (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Its objective was to contribute to the socioeconomic development of Ghana and Senegal, through the identification and transfer of skills, financial, social and professional resources of the expatriates living in Italy and the promotion of partnerships between hosting and origin communities.

This is a collection of research papers, directed by Ninna Nyberg Sorensen. The aim of this collection is to show through selected case studies, the diversity of potential contributions of diasporas to the development of both their home and destination countries. The research presented in this volume shows how the conditions of migration and integration in the host societies can impact on diasporas’ contributions to development and thus more globally how conditions under which migration takes place determine the development impact of migration.

The goal of the project is to assist the authorities in Moldova to formulate a series of policies that will strengthen the ties between migrants and their homeland. The report is structured along the lines of a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) to ideally stimulate discussion, which in turn will sensitize policy makers to the needs and sensibilities of migrants and assist them in crafting a more effective and migrant/diaspora-friendly set of policies.

This publication explores different challenges posed to home and host country governments engaging with their diasporas for development purposes. How to define diasporas? How to gather data on diasporas? How to incorporate diaspora contributions into development strategies? How to identify most relevant partners within the diasporas? What incentives are conducive to diaspora contributions? What resources are available within diasporas and how can their impact on development be maximized? What is the role for policy? These are some of the questions raised in this publication.