Jordan currently faces two interrelated challenges: (i) sustaining the country’s development gains of the last ten years and; (ii) mitigating the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on the Jordanian economy. With this in mind, the project aims to support the government in developing a Migration and Development Strategy and is exploring the current and potential roles of the Jordanian diaspora in economic development and humanitarian relief. IOM has identified significant knowledge gaps around the current contribution of, and potential for, Jordanian expatriates in the Golf Cooperation Countries (GCC) countries and Syrian diaspora to strengthen the Jordanian economy and resilience during humanitarian crises.
To address these knowledge gaps, two ‘streams’ of research will be conducted: ‘Mapping Jordanian diaspora in the Gulf’ and ‘Understanding remittance patterns to Syrian refugees in Jordan’. The findings will help inform the Jordanian Government and international organisations (IOs) in programming options for the engagement of diaspora to support the growth and resilience of the Jordanian economy.