Madagascar - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar, with the support of IOM and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, yesterday presented the findings of a research project profiling the Malagasy diaspora in France.

The half-day session held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris attracted over a hundred participants, including members of the Malagasy diaspora, representatives of diaspora associations, and delegates from the Malagasy, French and international agencies.

The research was conducted between March and July 2016 by the “Forum des Organisations de Solidarité Internationale Issues des Migrations” (FORIM), in collaboration with IOM Madagascar and the Malagasy Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in cooperation with the French Embassy in Antananarivo.

It was commissioned in response to increasing interest from associations and individuals in contributing to the development of Madagascar and aims to clarify what needs to be done to facilitate the engagement of the Malagasy diaspora in national development.

This study is based on a desk review of relevant literature and census data, on a survey of individual members of the diaspora, and on qualitative interviews with key informants.

It analyses the demographic, socio-cultural and socio-economic specifics of the Malagasy diaspora in France; details its potential contribution to development and potential obstacles; and sets out short and medium-term recommendations to exploit this potential. The study’s results will inform the government’s development of a diaspora engagement strategy.

Director for the Diaspora at the Malagasy Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lanto Rahajarizafy said: “The diaspora has a leading role in the new orientation of the country's foreign policy. Mobilization of skills and talents from the Malagasy diaspora will be at the core of the national policy on diaspora engagement.”

For further information, please contact Daniel Silva y Poveda at IOM Madagascar, Tel. +261.32 56 54 954, Email: dsilva@iom.int.