Migration and DevelopmentMigration and Development

Implementation period: January 2019 – December 2019

IOM the Netherlands is partner in the Work in Progress! alliance which brings together Oxfam Novib, Venture Capital for Africa and Butterfly Works.

The project aims to address root causes of irregular migration by creating youth employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in Egypt, Nigeria and Somalia. We are implementing partner for Work in Progress! in Somalia.

Under this project, we work with the Skills Training Association SOSTA, a local organization in Somaliland, with the management of a youth and job centre in Borama, the capital of the Awdal region. The centre provides vocational training, soft skills training and organizes various events for youth including information sessions about irregular migration.

Furthermore, we provide information to our donor and project partners about migration pressure and migration flows in other regions in Africa, including the Sahel countries.

Finally, we are seeking synergy with our projects Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) and Connecting Diaspora for Development (CD4D) which enables us to provide technical expertise and to contribute to allow employment opportunities for youth on a national and local level in Somalia.

For further information, please visit the Oxfam Novib website.

Autumn 2019 we started the second phase of our Connecting Diaspora for Development (CD4D) programme. Through the transfer of knowledge and expertise, CD4D2 engages diaspora to support the development of their countries of origin.

The United Nations University-MERIT and Maastricht University are conducting a scientific evaluation of the CD4D2 project. They have previously been involved in the evaluation of CD4D1 and its predecessor, IOM’s Temporary Return of Qualified Nationals (TRQN) project. The evaluation of the CD4D2 project takes place over four years. It aims to identify:

1. Why diaspora members from Iraq, Nigeria and Somalia, as well as host institutions in the three countries, were motivated to participate in CD4D;
2. What participants’ expectations are for the CD4D project,
   and;
3. What the experiences of host institutions, colleagues, and participants are during the project

The evaluation furthermore focuses on analyzing the form and frequency of knowledge transfer and identifying potential barriers, which informs if and how the CD4D project affects (lasting) positive changes for host institutions, colleagues, and participants. For this assessment, the Maastricht research team collects quantitative and qualitative through surveys and interviews with CD4D2 participants, their colleagues at the host institutions, and a wide variety of stakeholders such as IOM staff, diaspora organizations, policymakers and embassy personnel. They do so at three different points in time: before the knowledge transfer assignments take place, directly afterwards and one year later.

For questions about the evaluation, please contact:

Dr. Michaela Vanore This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
and
Dr. Laura Cleton This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You can access the evaluation reports of the CD4D2 project below:

CD4D2 Baseline Report (August 2020)
CD4D2 Mid-term Report (August 2021)
CD4D2 Mid-term Report (December 2022)
CD4D2 Final Report October 2023

You can access the previous evaluations of the CD4D1 project below:

CD4D1 Literature Review (August 2016)
CD4D1 Baseline Report (May 2017)
CD4D1 Mid-term Report (June 2018)
CD4D1 Final Report (October 2019)

You can access other (academic) publications linked to the CD4D evaluation below:

Kuschminder, Katherine, Charlotte Mueller, Kiza Magendane & Yannicke Goris, 2021, Diaspora and knowledge transfer - the evidence, The Broker.
Mueller, Charlotte, 2020, Diaspora Knowledge Transfer in Sierra Leone and Somaliland, in: Maty Konte and Linguère Mously Mbaye (eds.), Migration, Remittances, and Sustainable Development in Africa, Routledge, Abingdon/New York.
Mueller, C., & Kuschminder, K. (2023). Beyond ‘Just Comes’ and ‘Know-It-Alls’: Exploring Strategies to Deal with Returnee Stigmas During Diaspora Return Visits for Knowledge Transfer. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 24(2), 427-443.

The second phase of the Connecting Diaspora for Development (CD4D) project ended on 30 June 2023.

Therefore, there are currently no open vacancies for knowledge transfer assignments. Nonetheless, IOM the Netherlands maintains its strong connection to diaspora communities. In addition, IOM the Netherlands is determined to continue working in the field of diaspora engagement in the future.

Please consult the Connecting Diaspora LinkedIn page for any updates.

Connecting Diaspora for Development (CD4D2) Final Report

Laura Cleton & Michaella Vanore October 2023

Members of the Iraqi diaspora in the Netherlands can contribute to the development of Iraq through their expertise, knowledge and entrepreneurship. IOM’s Connecting Diaspora for Development (CD4D) project for Iraq consists of two components:

1. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
   IOM supports the development of identified sectors by strengthening the capacity of key institutions by engaging the diaspora community in the Netherlands. Through temporary assignments, professional diaspora members are linked to the selected institutions in Iraq to share knowledge and expertise. CD4D is demand-driven, meaning that all assignments respond to the capacity-building needs in the selected institutions.
2. ENTREPRENEURSHIP
   IOM enables diaspora entrepreneurs to start or expand a business in Iraq. You may have a business idea that could contribute positively to the development of your country of origin. Selected candidates can participate in go-and-see mission in Iraq to scan the business climate to decide if their business idea is viable.

For detailed information about the procedure, please contact Mr. Zia Gulam, IOM the Netherlands, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; tel.: +31 610 549 961

CD4D project concluded - Second phase expected soon!

Implementation period: April 2016 - 30 June 2019

The CD4D project aims for diaspora members of five target countries to contribute to their country of origin via knowledge transfer and capacity building.

Since 2004, we have been offering temporary assignments to professionals with a migration background who want to make their knowledge and experience available to their country of origin. Because of their cultural and linguistic affinities with their countries of origin and their high commitment diaspora experts are in an excellent position to contribute to the development of the countries involved. The current CD4D project has been running since 2016 and is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The CD4D Method

Many countries have a considerable number of professionals among their diaspora communities in the Netherlands. They also face brain drain and often lack qualified human resources. Through temporary physical and online assignments, professional diaspora members residing in the Netherlands are linked to institutions in their countries of origin to share their knowledge and expertise. To reinforce the impact of the assignments, we can also offer internships and training opportunities in the Netherlands to representatives of selected host institutions. The impact of the project is monitored throughout by the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance of Maastricht University.

The CD4D Impact

Diaspora experts are instrumental in establishing and maintaining sustainable links between institutions in the Netherlands and institutions in the target countries. The project facilitates various connections:

• Connections between diaspora experts and representatives of host institutions
• Connections between institutions in the Netherlands and host institutions
• Connections between diaspora experts themselves.

CD4D is demand-driven, meaning that all assignments respond to capacity-building needs identified in selected institutions in one of the priority sectors: education, agriculture / rural development, health care, justice / rule of law. The project targets the following five countries:

• Afghanistan
• Ethiopia
• Iraq
• Sierra Leone
• Federal Republic of Somalia/Somaliland

On 28 September participants of the project Entrepreneurship by Diaspora 4 Development (ED4D) pitched their business ideas to a jury and to potential investors.
The ED4D project encourages the Ghanaian and Ethiopian diaspora residing in the Netherlands,or Dutch entrepreneurs in partnership with the diaspora, to engage themselves as entrepreneurs for the development of the private sector in Ghana and Ethiopia.

Meet our Ambassadors; ten diaspora professionals who form the heart of our nationwide media campaign “Connecting Diaspora for Development”.

All ambassadors are professionals with a migration background. They are charismatic, dedicated and contribute in a major way to their countries of origin through our project Connecting Diaspora for Development (CD4D2). Together they show the important role diaspora experts play in the economic and social development of their countries of origin.

Many important diaspora initiatives go unnoticed; through this media campaign, we aim to highlight their great work.

Click on their portraits to read more!

Soza GaffafAyalew KassahunAbubakarr Bangura

Nasir Ali Stanley MbeluNiloufar Rahim Zuhur Mohamed

Clement Adu TwumSeleshi Getahun Yalew Jela Keyani

Implementation period: November 2018- October 2020

The ED4D project aimed to encourage the Ghanaian and Ethiopian diasporas residing in the Netherlands, or Dutch entrepreneurs in partnership with the diaspora, to engage themselves as entrepreneurs for the development of the private sector in Ghana and Ethiopia. The project was implemented by us in collaboration with PUM Netherlands senior experts. With this project, IOM and PUM together tried to address the different challenges the diaspora face in setting up a business. We acted as facilitators and coordinators at the service of selected entrepreneurs and offer them assistance with starting up or expanding a business back home.

Interested entrepreneurs received information about investment opportunities and procedures in Ghana and Ethiopia. Selected entrepreneurs with promising business ideas received specific training and coaching.

For further information, please visit the CD4D website.