Zimbabwe gets IOM backing to engage nationals abroad

Zimbabwe has received support from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to enhance its engagement with nationals living abroad. This initiative is part of the Southern African Migration Management and Streamlining Diaspora Engagement projects, funded by the European Union and the African Development Bank.

In a statement, IOM noted that a study visit in June aided the Zimbabwean government's review and enhancement of its National Diaspora Policy (2016), which aims to harness the diaspora's contributions toward achieving upper-middle-income status by 2030.

During the visit, the delegation engaged in high-level discussions with Ghana's Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration minister, the Diaspora Affairs Office, ZeePay remittance company, and the Employment and Labour Relations ministry. They also visited a successful diaspora project, engaged with the Ghanaian diaspora community, and discussed community-level engagement with a well-established hometown association.

The visit provided insights into Ghana's innovative approaches to diaspora remittances and its Year of Return initiative, offering valuable lessons for Zimbabwe. IOM highlighted the importance of South-South cooperation and learning from successful models to foster stronger diaspora ties.

Sienzeni Mateta, director of the Diaspora and Bilateral Trade Unit, emphasized the initiative's demonstration of a collaborative approach to achieving national development goals. With over 2 million Zimbabweans living abroad, diaspora remittances rose to US$1.2 billion in the first half of this year from US$1 billion in the same period last year.