Engaging diaspora communities with their countries of origin is an important aspect of IOM’s global work. Many members of overseas diaspora communities remain connected with their country of origin. They contribute to their new country, but can also be powerful development actors. IOM’s Migration and Development projects aim to exchange knowledge and skills for the reconstruction and development of countries of origin. IOM has over 30 years of experience with programmes involving temporary assignments of overseas diaspora communities based on knowledge exchange in countries of origin.

The MEDMA project (« Mobilisation des Marocains résidant en Belgique pour le développement du Maroc ») was carried out as a pilot project for three years until mid-2015 with the aim to encourage and support Moroccans residing in Belgium to contribute to the sustainable development of Morocco by developing and implementing new investment projects. The project focused on three regions of the country: Tangier/ Tetouan, Taza/Al Hoceima/Taounate and the Oriental.

Many African countries experience a significant loss of skilled professionals who migrate to Europe, North America and other high income countries. Such shortages significantly hamper the realization of health and development goals, and are particularly felt in the medical education and specialized care sectors, due in part to the outmigration of the most skilled and qualified. 

IOM started the “Return of Qualified Afghans” (RQA) programme in December 2001. The RQA programme focused on the return of qualified Afghan nationals scattered worldwide, who are motivated to contribute their skills for the benefit of the reconstruction process on short or long term basis.

Migrant Women for Development in Africa is a project promoted by the International Organization for Migration and funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - General Directorate for Development Cooperation, in the framework of MIDA - Migration for Development in Africa: a strategy conceived by IOM in 2001 to involve migrants in the socioeconomic development of their country of origin.

This book aims to capture the context in Finland and Somalia which has led to the development and the implementation of the very first MIDA project for Somalia. MIDA Health Somaliland-Puntland has shown that it is possible and meaningful to engage the diaspora for development activities back home. The project has also demonstrated that authorities in Finland and in Somalia are very interested in and supportive of this type of engagement.

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.

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.