ZIMBABWE has received support from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to capacitate officials working on engaging nationals living abroad.
The initiative was realised within the framework of the projects on Southern African Migration Management and Streamlining Diaspora Engagement to Catalyse Private Investments and Entrepreneurship for Enhanced Resilience funded by the European Union and the African Development Bank.
In a statement, IOM said a study visit in June supported the Zimbabwean government's efforts to review and enhance the implementation of its National Diaspora Policy (2016).
The policy is aimed at harnessing the contribution of the diaspora towards Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development and attainment of upper-middle-income status by 2030.
According to IOM, the delegation had the opportunity to engage in high-level technical discussions with Ghana’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Diaspora Affairs Office in the Office of the President.
“Meetings with the remittance company ZeePay and the Employment and Labour Relations ministry provided insights into remittance services and employment policies.
“Additionally, the delegation visited a successful diaspora project, engaged with the Ghanaian diaspora community and met with a well-established hometown association to discuss community-level engagement.
“Throughout the week, the Ghanaians and their Zimbabwean counterparts discussed the Diaspora Engagement Policy, the development of the inter-sectoral implementation committee and various programmes targeting the youth, such as the Diaspora National Service Scheme and internship programmes.
- CCC urged to push for dialogue over reforms
- A peep into Matenganyika’s artistic closets
- Reunification facility gives migrants lifeline
- The Bioskop Short Film Competition is back
Keep Reading
“The delegation also explored Ghana's innovative approaches to diaspora remittances, the historic Year of Return initiative and the expansion of the Ghana Card by the National Identification Authority."
IOM said the visit highlighted how Ghana had effectively harnessed the potential of its diaspora for national development, offering valuable insights that would inform the review and enhancement of Zimbabwe's National Diaspora Policy.
“This benchmarking visit underscores the importance of South-South co-operation, learning from successful models to foster stronger ties and more robust engagement with the diaspora,” the UN agency said.
Diaspora and Bilateral Trade Unit director and head of delegation Sienzeni Mateta said the initiative exemplified the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, demonstrating the power of collaborative efforts in achieving national development goals.
Over 2 million Zimbabweans are living outside the country and are a source of remittances. Diaspora remittance rose to US$1,2 billion in the first half of the year from US$1 billion in the same period last year.
