The Development of Diaspora Engagement Policies in Burundi and Rwanda
Sonja Fransen & Melissa Siegel
#2011-038
Many countries are currently exploring their diaspora's potential to
contribute to local development processes. These countries face numerous
challenges in effectively engaging their diasporas such as a lack of
experience and resources. Conflict-affected countries, however, face
legacies from the past that might challenge diaspora engagement
processes. They often also struggle with security issues in the
post-conflict phase in addition to these challenges. This chapter
compares the diaspora engagement initiatives of two neighbouring
countries in the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa: Rwanda and
Burundi. Both countries recognize the potential of their diasporas, but
they are at different stages of diaspora policy development. Results
show that Rwanda actively addresses the challenges in reaching out to
their diaspora by focusing on diasporic unity and communication between
diaspora groups and the Rwanda government. Rwanda has also embedded its
Diaspora Policy in its long-term development plan. A lack of data
however exists on the effectiveness of these efforts. In contrast,
Burundi still needs to create the diasporic institutional environment
for its diaspora engagement and diaspora engagement policies. A high
level of cooperation should be present between ministries, international
organizations and the diaspora to create effective policies. For
diaspora engagement initiatives to succeed in conflict-affected
societies such as Burundi and Rwanda, however, the most important
condition is that the countries' security situations become increasingly
stable in the near future.
Keywords: Burundi, Rwanda, Diapora, Diaspora Engagement, Migration and
Development