Profiling Malian Nationals Abroad and Enhancing their Expertise for Mali’s Socio-Economic Development

This pilot project constitutes a preliminary step to establish a comprehensive approach to enhance the links between Malian migrants and their country of origin, and is a component of the broader IOM Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) strategy. The project will facilitate the profiling of Malian emigrants through an inventory of Malians abroad, and will strengthen an information network on Malian diaspora by directly involving consulates and other relevant entities in the main countries of destination, i.e. the Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Ivory Coast and Spain. Furthermore, the project will identify sources of information on Malian international migration available in Mali, and will engage the relevant national institutions in this process.

The data will include demographic, socio economic and geographical information. This information will enable a detailed profiling of the diaspora, better specifying their interest in, and potential for, participation in Mali’s development process through temporary return, enhanced remittances, transfer of knowledge and local investment.

Based on this new information, the Government of Mali will define an appropriate institutional policy framework to provide incentives for involving Malian expatriates in the development of their country of origin. Following this, a sensitization and information campaign will be launched by Malian embassies and consulates to inform Malians abroad about the new policies of the government.