How Cabo Verde is Reinvigorating Engagement with its Diaspora
Cabo Verde is one of the few countries in the world with a larger diaspora than resident population. Reflecting a long history of emigration, Cabo Verde’s diaspora is currently believed to be three times the size of the resident population. In the United States alone, it’s estimated there are 490,000 members of the Cabo Verdean diaspora, almost as much as the population of the islands themselves.
This extensive history was the topic of a week-long event in April 2023, which gathered over 40 government representatives from all 22 municipalities in the capital of Praia to discuss how to best engage with the Cabo Verdean diaspora. This was the first time all municipalities participated in an event on diaspora engagement at a national scale.
The programme for the week had two main goals. It first aimed to strengthen participants’ awareness about the significance of diaspora engagement. Secondly, it explored the distinct characteristics of various diaspora groups to foster collaboration and establish common goals.
“We should remember that the Cabo Verdean Diaspora has always had, and will always have, a crucial role and significance in terms of population, demography, economy, society, politics and culture for the archipelago and is one of its biggest strategic strengths.”
Jorge Santo, Minister of Communities, Cabo Verde
In 2016, the country launched the first National Diaspora Strategy, including eight areas of intervention to boost diaspora engagement in the country’s development. Now, with support from the IOM Development Fund, the government is reviewing this strategy with a focus on directly engaging diaspora members themselves to ensure their viewpoints are integrated in this process.
“IOM already has the expertise to help us define every aspect of the engagement. Our goal is to pool this knowledge, share best practices, and analyze what has been achieved so far. We want to understand what works, what doesn’t work, and why. It’s about learning from our experiences.”
Quelita Gonçalves, Head of Office, IOM Cabo Verde
The active involvement of the diaspora was evident in the April 2023 training which provided a unique opportunity to glimpse success stories of diaspora engagement from abroad.
A diaspora organization from Guinea-Bissau shared their experiences in mapping and crowdfunding. Similarly, a Portuguese emigrant support office shared the way they implemented several initiatives related to diaspora engagement, highlighting the significance of minimizing barriers, streamlining bureaucratic processes, and addressing the needs of the diaspora. Lastly, participants learned about a real estate project stemming from a partnership involving members of the Cabo Verdean diaspora based in United States of America. This project demonstrated an innovative approach in securing the necessary funding for investment, involving key partners such as the Praia City Council and successfully pre-selling numerous apartments and houses before construction.
Collectively, the experiences shared demonstrated a clear example of how government stakeholders and diaspora members can work together towards Cabo Verde’s development. These inputs will also be critical to the development of the updated Diaspora Strategy, one of the key outcomes of the project.
In addition to the policy work, there are also plans to bring together government officials and diaspora members to develop a documentary on the history of Cabo Verde. The documentary will fill an important gap in recording Cabo Verde’s significant history of emigration, while also providing an opportunity for government stakeholders and diaspora members alike to examine their achievements and provide inspiration for what can be done in the future.
