Mozambique - In September 2015, IOM Mozambique and the National Institute for Mozambican Communities in the Diaspora (INACE) received funding from the IOM Development Fund (IDF) to further involve the Mozambican diaspora in Mozambique’s development process.

This week (18/2) INACE and IOM held a one-day workshop to officially launch the project and train members of INACE’s Steering Committee on issues relating to migration and development.

The objective of the project is to promote communication between the government and the Mozambican diaspora, with the aim of engaging the diaspora in Mozambique’s national development agenda.

This will be done by building the capacity of the government to enhance their engagement with the diaspora and by creating a Mozambican diaspora network with access to information about opportunities to engage with Mozambique.

Migration has been a part of life in Mozambique throughout the country’s history. According to a 2000 World Bank report, approximately 11.7 million Mozambicans migrated after the country’s independence in 1975, in part due to the 16-year civil war that broke out two years after independence.

As a result, many Mozambican professionals found work in more stable African economies or outside the continent. Most moved to neighbouring countries, especially South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania. As a result, the public sector has been adversely affected by the loss of so many educated and skilled people.

The diaspora engagement project followed extensive consultations with the government, which carried out a diaspora mapping exercise in 2013, in collaboration with Mozambique’s Eduardo Mondlane University.

The mapping exercise showed a lack of communication channels between the diaspora and the government. There was also a lack of information about policies and legislation, as well as day-to-day information about opportunities in the country. Consular services were seen as limited.

This project is in line with Mozambique’s national Diaspora Engagement Strategy (2014) and its new Five Year Plan (2015-2019.) The third pillar of the plan, which focuses on strengthening of international cooperation, highlights the need to engage Mozambicans living in the diaspora for national development, and the need to support Mozambican communities abroad.

For further information please contact Jason Theede at IOM Mozambique, Tel: +258 823 357 002, Email:  jtheede@iom.int