Reaching out to the diaspora to engage them in the development of
their countries of origin has moved to the top of the agendas of
sending countries.

 

A new IOM pilot project, being launched today in San Salvador
during a conference on "Migration and the Private Sector" organized
by the Regional Conference on Migration, will work with hometown
associations created by the Salvadorian diaspora in the United
States, especially in Washington and Los Angeles, the cities with
the largest Salvadorian communities.

 

The project aims to strengthen the capacity and work of these
associations, already actively involved at the social, economic and
cultural level in dozens of towns in El Salvador.  Working
with the associations and the communities in El Salvador the
project will identify needs and develop small development projects.


 

More than one million Salvadorians living in the US - 25 per cent
of the country's population –sent US$2.1 billion in
remittances to relatives back home in 2003.

 

IOM's Chief of Mission in El Salvador, Norberto Girón said:
"The sheer size of the Salvadorian diaspora, the large amount of
remittances they send home, and the transnational relations
established by these migrants with their country of origin, have
turned migration into a fundamental factor in the development plans
for the country."

 

This project is financed by IOM's 1035 Facility, which provides
special support to IOM developing member states and member states
with economies in transition for the development and implementation
of joint government-IOM projects to address particular areas of
migration management.  Since its inception in 2001, the
Facility has supported over 120 projects in various areas of IOM
activity and has benefited over 80 member states.

 

For more information contact

Norberto Girón

IOM San Salvador

Tel: (503) 2-263-2593

Email: "mailto:ngiron@iom.un.hn" target="_blank" title=
"">ngiron@iom.un.hn

Berta Fernandez

IOM Washington

Tel: 1.202.862.1826 Ext 234

Email: "mailto:bfernandez@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">bfernandez@iom.int