DIASPORA POLICY FORMULATION INDABA COMING
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold a national consultative forum with various stakeholders as part of the process for the formulation of the Diaspora Policy. The forum will be held in Lusaka in October 2015, at a venue and date to be advised. Targeted stakeholders include Government Ministries/Institutions, diaspora associations, Parliamentarians, Non-Governmental Organisations, Civil Society Organisations, academicians, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the World Bank, the European Union and the private sector. The event is meant to serve as a platform from which the Ministry will solicit for input/comments on the diaspora engagement process.
In this regard, all Zambians living abroad, including, associations of Zambians are encouraged to attend the event. You are further advised to attend consultative meetings that will be arranged by the High Commission in due course in order to help us collect input/comments that will feed into the draft Diaspora Policy document. Please note that confirmations of attendance can be made through the Mission by email to press@zambiapretoria.net or nshabolyo@gmail.com
Furthermore, we wish to inform you that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is currently conducting an online survey of Zambians in the diaspora as part of efforts by Government to maximize the development impact of migration and the resources of the diaspora community. The results of the survey will be used to inform the development of diaspora friendly policies and legislation aiming to make it easier for members of the Zambian diaspora to play a role in the national development process. The link for the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HJ3HHWY has been uploaded on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for ease of access. All personal information contained in this survey is strictly confidential and will not be released without prior consent of the respondents. We encourage you to provide your name, telephone number or email address, though this is not mandatory.
The Government of the Republic of Zambia, under the leadership of His Excellency, Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has recognised the potential of the Zambian diaspora in the development of the country hence taking steps towards engaging Zambians in the diaspora who have demonstrated great interest in contributing to national development. Embarking on this process of formulating a Diaspora Policy is part of the Patriotic Front Government’s effort towards engaging Zambians in the diaspora in contributing to national development by making it possible for them to invest in the various sectors of the economy. The resolve to develop a Diaspora Policy comes on the realisation that concerted efforts by the Government in the past were not sufficient to enable Zambians in the diaspora to contribute to the development of the country as there was no policy framework to offer government the mode and terms of engagement with the diaspora.
The overall objective of the policy is to integrate the Zambian diaspora in the development agenda of the country by creating an enabling environment and platform for effective participation of the Zambian diaspora in national development. The main focus of the policy will be to harness and maximize the efforts of the Zambian diaspora as a resource for development by:
- Increasing their participation in trade and investment opportunities, enhancing the transfer of financial resources by reducing the high cost of remitting money,
- Facilitating the acquisition of land,
- Protecting the rights and interests of the diaspora and;
- Facilitating online portal to offer information on the country.
The PF Government through the Ministry remains committed to ensuring that the Diaspora Policy document addresses the various challenges/constraints currently facing the Zambian diaspora such as dual citizenship, access to land and the high cost of remittances. It is anticipated that the Diaspora Policy document would be launched by the third quarter of 2015, given the political will that the Government of His Excellency, Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has demonstrated in as far as the development of the policy is concerned.
Emmanuel Mwamba
High Commissioner