• Digital options for low-cost, fast and safe remittance transfer
• Financial awareness and literacy for migrants & tailor-made remittance-linked financial products
• Transfer of diaspora knowledge and know-how

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected both migrant and non-migrant populations. While many migrants have been regularized as essential workers in countries of destination, diaspora mobilized their skills, knowledge, and financial capacities to support their communities of origin through humanitarian, health, social, and economic initiatives to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. The Gambian diaspora, for example, sent home the equivalent of 578 million dollars in 2020. In the Republic of Moldova, diasporas were particularly active supporting vulnerable groups, providing food and sanitary assistance and engaging in local development projects. In Somalia, 33 diaspora experts in the health sector along with 52 locally recruited doctors and nurses actively supported the federal government in the response to the pandemic. Medical professionals from the diaspora regularly provided technical expertise to local hospitals, produced relevant medical guidelines, and engaged in the training and mentoring of medical staff.

The Swiss Development Cooperation 

With more than ten years of experience and various projects, Switzerland is seeking to strengthen the framework conditions enabling socio-economic and policy contributions of diaspora to sustainable development. Switzerland is undertaking different efforts at the policy and operational level to promote the contribution of migrant and diaspora communities to sustainable development in terms of financial and social capital transfers to their countries of origin – including through advocating for low-cost digital remittance channels at policy level and supporting innovative financial inclusion solutions. Switzerland further encourages investment of remittances in productive investments, e.g. through the development of new financial products. In partnership with diaspora in Switzerland and elsewhere, Switzerland seeks to create decent work opportunities in partner countries and establish new trade relations.

In this page you will find resources on how to leverage the contribution of migrant and diaspora communities to sustainable development in terms of financial and social capital transfers to their countries of origin – including through low-cost digital remittance channels and innovative financial inclusion solutions, as well as on investment of remittances in productive investments, e.g. through the development of new financial products, and the creation of decent work opportunities thanks to diaspora involvement.

Disclaimer: The views and insights expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of SDC.

Contribution to sustainable development

Financial Inclusion

 

Diaspora Engagement