Migration and development nexus Codéveloppment from International migration point of view

1. Migration and development nexusCodéveloppment from International migration point of view Ugo Melchionda IOM ROME

2. Foreword • Definition of codéveloppment provided by Ms Nicole Martin “any action aiming at development, whatever its nature, whatever the sector, involving migrants living in France, whichever can be the way of this involvement”, • French consolidated experience represents a reference point for international agencies • Ms Martin’s conclusion: codéveloppment is placed within the intersection area of three different lines and traditions of practices and reflections: • Globalisation • Development • International migration • My discussion, of coursewill be strictly focused on the issue of international migration and its complex nexus with development

3. Summary In order to strengthen the interplay between international migration and development, we need a paradigm shift, able to let us re-think: • Migration-development nexus and, within it, the nexus migration – poverty • from absolute poverty to relative deprivation. • From “being poor” to “feeling poor” • characteristics and goals of migration: • from migration for permanent settlement to temporary /circular migration • to redefine return: • to broaden our assumption of capital involved in migration, from the merely economic savings and remittances to human and social capital invested • last, but not least, to define new policies referring to migration development cooperation.

4. Paradigm shift • Migration is the result of poverty, but the driving force has to be considered the desire to improve oneself conditions according to higher standards, not the poverty itself. • The poorest don’t emigrate • the migrant Is a proactive subject , engaged in rational costs-benefits analysis. A potential entrepreneur moved not by the absolute poverty, but by the relative deprivation he feels. • A rational actor whose choice, and behaviour can contribute to relieve his own poverty, but perhaps even the general poverty in his area: a possible “agent de development”, we can empower,

5. Nexus migration – development– poverty • Migration has been traditionally seen as a factor exacerbating poverty • brain drain, particularly when the exodus involve the professionals most needed by poor people: teachers, nurses, medical doctors. • forced migration aiming at labour and /or sexual exploitation is a new charge against migration, • forced relocation managed without reintegration assistance, adds poverty to poverty even when relocation is aimed to development, • like building dams and creating infrastructural systems, as happened, • in the last decade of 20th century 90-100 millions of people were forced to relocate in order to create the necessary space to build development infrastructures .

6. Migration can relieve poverty • migration has relieved poverty yielding new skills, new rights awareness, to the origin countries, new north-south relations, • In 2004 official remittances were calculated to be 126 billion $, while the whole Net Official Flows from north to south countries were equal to only 26 billion $ and foreign investments amount was about 165 billion $. • Less visible, but not less important, is the return of migrants. • between a third and a quarter of all European migrants, who moved towards USA in the period 1908-1957, have come back, but no one has assessed how much of European development is due to these men and women. • return, can cause a possible increase of “human capital”, “brain gain” through the return of émigrés yielding new skills to be implemented in the origin countries and can increase the social capital through the new relations among the countries involved in the migration circuit created by returnees.

7. New migration policies • Still, we need new migration policies development oriented, i.e dealing with : • Enlargement of migrant labour force in developed countries • New temporary /circular migration schemes, as after the phase of migration for settlement, we have to develop new policies able to avoid the limits and the risks of past experiences • Remittances facilitation and incentives in order to avoid the relevant risks • Facilitation of return as resource for development even through extension, spreading and strengthening of pilot projects implemented by international organisations

8. Labour migration policies • OECD estimated some years ago that an increase of migrant manpower up to 4% of UE, USA and Canada labour force, would imply a benefit for origin countries accountable to about 160-200 billion $: much more the effect of debit write-off • We need to consent to a larger part of underdeveloped countries’ labour force to fill our market shortages, without creating ethinicization , social exclusion, exploitation, urban ghettoization • We have to promote new temporary /circular migration programs based on : • Freedom of movement for migrant workers inside defined temporary frameworks • Guarantee of rights to migrant workers and accordance to some of them to transform their temporary migration into permanent settlement • Delivery of Entry permits to let people look for a regular job

9. Remittances • It is even too easy remarking the positive effect of remittances to boost origin countries’ development. • Anyway we need policies • improving transfers of remittances, • increasing formal transfers through fees abatements, • boost productive investments through tax reduction, matching funds and incentives • reduce the risks of money laundering, • reduce the risk of inflation • reduce the risk of arisen or strengthen social inequality and so further accelerate disintegration of local communities • reduce the risk that remittances are just used for conspicuous consumptions - especially of foreign products – diverting resources from productive investments.

10. International experience in the field of migration and development • In the TOKTEN program (Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals), launched by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) over 5000 HQM have provided successful technical expertise, for short periods of time in various fields in 49 countries within the period 1977 -97. • In the IOM RQAN program 2000 professionals and over 2600 students were incentived to return to 41 African countries • In the IOM MIDA project figures are still less relevant but the development strategy is based upon the following key issues: • Identifying priority skill/resource needs in the main economic sectors of participating countries. • Identifying skills and resources available in the diaspora. • Matching the identified skill/resource needs of target countries with appropriate skills/resources of nationals in the diaspora • Exploring the most beneficial ways of channelling and investing migrant remittances • Building synergies

11. What makes MIDA an innovative programme: • MIDA seeks to involve the contribution of all stakeholders in countries of the North and the South • MIDA is a demand-driven programme. It seeks to ensure that the transfer of highly skilled individuals/resources is channeled in such a way as to meet the development requirements and priority needs of the countries of origin. • MIDA aims at strengthening the private sector in the countries of origin, with the contribution of the nationals in the diaspora, through the establishment of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and job-creation opportunities. • MIDA respects the dual identity of Africans in the diaspora by giving them the opportunity to contribute to the development process of their countries of origin without giving up the positions and rights they have acquired in their host countries. • MIDA aims at promoting the participation of women in a gender-balanced economic and social environment, thus empowering their role in the socio economic sectors of their countries.

12. Conclusions • The French consolidated experience and the international agencies programs represent a set of learned lessons • some aspects of the complex interplay between international migration and development • we need a complex paradigm shift, able to let us re-think: • nexus migration – development– poverty, • characteristics and goals of migration policies , from migration for permanent settlement to temporary /circular migration involving even temporary return and readmission • to broaden our assumption of capital involved in migration, remittances and return processes from the merely economic savings and remittances to human and social capital • cooperation among states like France and International organisations working in the same field and with the same vision can be strengthen even in occasions such this one.