While the relevance of financial remittances for developing countries is well documented and has gained attention during the last years as an important and stable source of external development, the flows of ideas, knowledge, behaviours and social capital transmitted by migrants to their families, friends and communities in their home countries, defined as “social remittances”, is still overlooked.

Over the past years, migration research and policymaking have focused much attention on South-North flows and on certain aspects of the migration and development nexus, such as remittances and ‘brain drain’. Cultural remittances have received little attention in policymaking. Nevertheless, culture is an important channel in the relation between migrants and their home communities and can be perceived as a potential contribution of diasporas to their countries and communities of origin.

Over the past years, migration research and policymaking have focused much attention on South-North flows and on certain aspects of the migration and development nexus, such as remittances and ‘brain drain’. Cultural remittances have received little attention in policymaking. Nevertheless, culture is an important channel in the relation between migrants and their home communities and can be perceived as a potential contribution of diasporas to their countries and communities of origin.

Contemporary migration from Morocco can be traced back to the colonial period. Sustained by the economic boom in Europe and the need for labour migrants, migration was sharply restricted in the early 1970s, although already existing transcontinental family networks as well as official family reunion schemes in Europe enabled further migration and settlement. Originally from rural areas, post-1970 migration flows originated in larger urban areas, targeted a wider range of destinations and included a growing share of well educated Moroccans and, increasingly, also women.

This first ever study on the Nigerian diasporas in Ghana and South Africa highlights that the profile of these diasporas is similar to that of Nigerians in Europe and North America in terms of migration push and pull factors, remittance behavior and identification with ‘home’.

Promoting Positive Contributions to Socioeconomic Development and Political Transitions in their Homelands (Arabic) This collection of research papers focuses on specific aspects of the complex relationships that exist between expatriate communities and their home countries in the Middle East and North Africa, highlighting in particular the various kinds of social, political, and economic engagement that define these relationships. The collection was a collaborative endeavor between IOM and the League of Arab States.

The trend of Nigerians migrating to South Africa has been increasing over time and indications are that this is still continuing. The increasing migration trend has created an opportunity to harness the potential resources of this group. This mapping exercise was conducted to provide information on the Nigerian diaspora working in the health and education sectors in South Africa, as well as to identify those who are willing to invest or contribute their skills towards the development of Nigeria.

Nigerian diaspora members currently living in the United Kingdom are highly skilled and knowledgeable, and thus can contribute to national development. They can make contributions in the form of investment, skills transfer, mentoring and consulting. This mapping exercise was conducted to provide information on the Nigerian diaspora working in the health and education sectors in the United Kingdom as well as to identify those who are willing to invest or contribute their skills towards the development of Nigeria.

El fenómeno de la inmigración en España presenta un enorme dinamismo, ampliándose en pocos años el abanico de los países de procedencia y cambiado los colectivos protagonistas en cuanto al volumen de residentes. La presente obra responde al reto que supone para los estudiosos de las migraciones abordar ese dinamismo y ello se hace con referencia a uno de los flujos que han cobrado más relevancia en España : el colectivo colombiano.

This study, funded by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Development Fund under the project “Ey Vatan Mesozamat!” (Engaging Tajik Diaspora in Tajikistan Development), assesses potential contributions of the Tajik diaspora in the Russian Federation for the development of the home country. The research was conducted in summer 2014 and identifies attitudes of diaspora members, their life plans and migration strategies.