Operationalizing a Diaspora Policy: Zambia’s Engagement with its Diaspora
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In 2010, the Government of Zambia commissioned a survey of its diaspora in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Since then, the Government has launched a national Diaspora Policy and established a Diaspora Coordination Desk, demonstrating a growing recognition of the positive contributions of diaspora nationals to Zambia’s development.
Launched in 2019, the policy provides a framework for diaspora engagement and prioritizes 13 key areas including the promotion of trade and investment, knowledge and skill transfers and establishing a diaspora database. Other areas focus on the needs of the diaspora such as dual citizenship, political participation and improving access to land.
With this framework in place, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) through IOM Development Fund seed funding, is supporting the operationalization of the national diaspora policy.
One of the project’s aims was to build mutual trust by establishing a system for ongoing communication with its diaspora members. Through consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, the project supported the establishment of a Diaspora Coordination Desk in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, providing a dedicated focal institution focused on enhancing the dialogue between the Government and the diaspora nationals. To date, the Diaspora Desk has facilitated a series of regular dialogues and engagements between the diaspora nationals and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on issues of mutual cooperation.
“The Diaspora are an asset that the Zambian Government cannot afford to ignore, as we recognise your valuable contribution to the National Development Agenda. We therefore, wish to acknowledge your potential for innovation, facilitation of global trade, investment, as well as skills and knowledge transfer.”
H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, President, Republic of Zambia, in his opening address at the 2022 Zambia Diaspora Conference
Another priority area was to continue gathering data and evidence on the Zambian diaspora. With support from the project, the Diaspora Desk coordinated the development of a number of several reports including a Diaspora Mapping and Profiling Survey Report, National Diaspora Remittances Study, Diaspora Legislative Gap Analysis and Guidelines for Acquisition of National Documents for Diaspora Nationals.
The various analyses provide an updated view of both the needs of the diaspora and opportunities for further action. For example, based on regular diaspora engagements and the recommendations from the Diaspora Legislative Gap Analysis, the Government has started working on provisions for out of country voting for diaspora nationals. Furthermore, there’s been an increase in the number of diaspora nationals acquiring dual citizenship, including those who had previously lost their Zambian citizenship, as a result of increased awareness of the new processes for acquiring national documents for diaspora nationals.
“Migration and the diaspora in particular, if nurtured and encouraged through supportive and enabling policy, institutional and programmatic interventions, diaspora nationals have a significant role in the development of their home countries through their human, social, economic and cultural capital.’’
Ms. Nomagugu Ncube, Former Chief of Mission, IOM Zambia
Additionally, the project supported the development of an application to facilitate information on remittances. The app will include a remittances/money transfer costs comparison feature that includes information on the different service providers, services offered, average transactional costs and the time taken for recipients to receive the remittances sent.
Southern Africa has some of the most expensive remittance corridors globally, averaging 12–15% in transactional costs. The Remittances Application brings crucial information straight into users’ mobile devises and enable senders of remittances to make informed decisions. Further, the availability of information contributes towards improved transparency and competition in the remittances sector and contributes to reducing the transactional costs to less than 3% in line with Sustainable Development Goal 10.c1
In 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a Zambia Diaspora Conference under the theme “Shifting Mindsets to Ignite Growth.” The conference brought together the Zambian diaspora from different geographical regions and provided an opportunity for dialogue between the Zambian diaspora and the Government of Zambia. The Conference was officially opened by the President of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. Hakainde Hichilema.
The seed funding has been instrumental in creating conditions for migrants and diaspora to fully contribute to sustainable development and to promote faster, safer and cheaper transfer of remittances in line with the Global Compact for Migration (Objectives 192 and 203). It is also closely aligned to the sustainable development agenda, in view of diaspora contributions towards the achievement of SDG 20 on reduced inequalities.
