Migrants are vital bridges between host and origin countries; they facilitate essential economic, social, political and cultural exchange.

The Migration and Sustainable Development in The Gambia Project demonstrates how to make diaspora contributions integral to national development processes.

Across Africa, governments have enacted a range of measures to engage their diasporas. Countries in all parts of the continent – from Zimbabwe to Nigeria, The Gambia to Kenya – have all implemented diaspora engagement initiatives.

This sharpened focus on the diaspora is not happening in a vacuum. It is an acknowledgement that Africa’s diaspora remains under-tapped and that it is key to the continent’s development. The African Union has long recognized the diaspora as the ‘sixth region’ of Africa, underscoring its importance and role in driving forward the continent’s development agenda.

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How is the World Economic Forum ensuring sustainable global markets?

The World Economic Forum’s Platform for Shaping the Future of Trade and Investment informs business and policy action on critical international trade and investment choices, driving inclusive growth and development by working with companies, governments, and civil society.

The multifaceted contributions of the diaspora

There are 281 million international migrants globally. Of these, more than 40 million were born in Africa. While African international migrants are a small slice of the continent’s more than 1.2 billion people, they make outsized contributions to their countries of origin and their destinations.

Migrants and their descendants everywhere – including those from Africa – make significant contributions across a range of spheres, enriching societies in various ways. Socioculturally, their diverse backgrounds and traditions enhance cultural diversity across areas such as food and music, while the values they bring – to both origin and destination countries – can positively shape communities.