2008 Zambia Diaspora Econference Executive Summary

2008 Zambia Diaspora E-Conference Executive Summary By Ing’utu Mutti Palmer

Based on original document Prepared by

ZAMBIA DIASPORA CONNECT Paul Lupunga, Tchiyiwe Chihana, Chola Mukanga, Chasaya Sichilima, Bright Chinganya and Musaba Chailunga

2009 1

Zambia Diaspora Connect | Zambia First

Zambia Diaspora Connect| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2009 The first Zambia Diaspora E-Conference was held between 14th and 24th October 2008 with a view to setting the frame for Zambia’s citizens abroad holding collective dialogue with ‘Home’. The main theme for the conference was to explore the diaspora’s collective aspirations for Zambia through ‘Visioning’ and ‘Prioritization’ of actions. It is hoped that the next steps following the conference will facilitate the development of government policy on the welfare of its citizens abroad and fill the policy gap required to complement the existing National Vision 2030, which only constitutes the development aspirations of Zambia’s domiciled citizens in keeping with the African Unions urge to all its member countries to take ownership of their citizens away from home as respective country’s members of constituencies abroad. The conference focused on the themes: 

Human Capital



Investment



Land and Housing



Culture and Identity.

Conference Outline The primary drive of the conference was to assess diaspora demand for government intervention in the various thematic areas chosen. To do this the following generic conference questions were asked: 1. How can Zambians living abroad participate in Zambia’s development in the areas of commercial investment, land and housing, and the development of human-capital? 2. How can government facilitate investment in commerce, land and housing development, and human-capital transfer to Zambia, by Zambians living abroad? 3. How can government and Zambian’s living abroad, together strengthen the diaspora’s sense of identity, citizenry and commitment to Zambia?

Thematic Group Deliberations 1. Human Capital 

There are significant benefits both to the people of Zambia and the diaspora from closer collaborative working.

Zambia Diaspora Connect | Zambia First

2

Zambia Diaspora Connect| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2009 

The Zambian diaspora brings significant advantage, primarily derived from their influence in organizations, institutions, and informal relationships they have developed abroad which they can use to Zambia’s advantage.



Their access to information abroad would provide a development conduit for Zambians at home, for example in helping identify marketing opportunities for domestic firms in foreign markets.



Crucially, they would bring both material support through charitable acts and direct leverage of their skills where shortage of expertise exists, at little cost to the Zambian tax payer, as many of them are keen to offer their services for free, recognising the many advantages helping one’s nation brings to the helper.

Four main constraints were identified which government needs to address in order to facilitate development: 1. Social constraints in the form of Zambians abroad being viewed in a very negative light at home 2. Economic constraints sometimes prevent many Zambians abroad from helping, as they were often at the mercy of prevailing economic conditions in their host countries 3. Lack of proper coordination among themselves, with several previous forums for engagement having faltered through lack of coherent vision and leadership and correct engagement with government 4. Poor institutional framework in Zambia, with many noting that lack of dual citizenship coupled with an absence of government policy on the diaspora sent wrong signals to them. Human Capital Proposed Solutions To help work together, a number of short term and long solutions were proposed. Short term solutions included 

Creation of more opportunities for volunteering, beyond the very few that exist through NGOs

Zambia Diaspora Connect | Zambia First

3

Zambia Diaspora Connect| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2009 

Creation of a government driven diaspora skills network linked to universities in Zambia and other areas where government saw fit



Establishment of collaborative programmes between the diaspora and key institutions in Zambia



Reform of Zambian foreign missions so that they become tools that engage more actively with the diaspora; and introduction of a desk for diaspora affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with sole focus on diaspora affairs. The long term solutions focused on legislative solutions such as the push for dual citizenship and the possibility of government introducing a diaspora bill in Parliament.

It was also noted that government cannot bring change alone; the Zambian diaspora should also do more and needed to signal more effectively to the government and Zambians at home that they are ready and willing partners of development. This could be done for example, through a small education project which involves the diaspora adopting a school in an area of Zambia where most value can be demonstrated.

2. Investment The level of demand to invest in Zambia for Zambians abroad is primarily a factor comprising distance from Zambia and the degree of networking the diaspora have for implementing their investment processes. Diaspora remittances to Zambia that go towards raising Gross National Income tend to take the form of finance capital, knowledge transfer, externally hired experts, machinery and materials. The combination of these resources in various ways together with the investors own entrepreneurial abilities go to making diaspora investment successful. A Zambian abroad seeking to invest faces the choice of investing in their respective countries of settlement or investing in Zambia. Other than nostalgia for Zambia and historical linkages, the major element of consideration to invest or not is the level of risk. To encourage and develop further interest from the diaspora the following recommendations were made:

4

 Investment information more easily and readily available through e-government.

Zambia Diaspora Connect | Zambia First

Zambia Diaspora Connect| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2009  Incentives put in place for the investment process for Zambians abroad through tax breaks, concessions for land and other statutory provisions. 

Government to keep track of remittances through Bank of Zambia mechanisms.



To compliment government actions the diaspora would need to make known their collective interests through the formation of a diaspora based chamber of commerce to speak to government on matters concerning the areas of interest amongst its members.



To fill the current information gap, the development of a website is proposed that would comprise directories of service and product providers relevant or anticipative of diaspora investments.

3. Land and Housing Land and its development for housing or commercial use is amongst one of the highest priorities Zambians abroad have in facilitating their engagement with ‘Home’. The process of identifying land, acquiring it, and ensuring the provision of various services typically require a physical presence in Zambia. The diaspora find being abroad provides them the resource to acquire and develop any land they may own, hence the need for the establishment of formidable agencies that would provide diaspora intermediation with the range of institutions that facilitate this engagement. Each of the three stages namely acquisition, development and use, necessitate maximizing opportunity and minimizing risk to the diaspora. This can be achieved by: 

Government availing information using the internet.



Government could strategically set up programs incorporating diaspora engagement with a view to increasing Zambia’s housing stock.



With regards to risk, matters of certainty of land acquisition when applied for or facilitated applications for land should become part of government policy.



As such at a macro level the group called for stronger incentives to manufacturers of building materials to open up new investments as well as increase supply.

Zambia Diaspora Connect | Zambia First

5

Zambia Diaspora Connect| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2009 In order to ascertain the demand amongst the disapora for land and housing, estimates of areas of interest with regard to developing housing or land, need to be compiled and reviewed in order that they may cluster into groups that would share common areas.

4. Culture and Identity The values that arise out of a shared history tend to elevate Zambians’ sense of belonging even when they are away from Zambia. Evidence of this belonging is often visible in how literature, music, food, spoken languages and internet media (to mention but a few) are sought by Zambians abroad. These remind them of their origins and the people they belong to. The conference discussions established that the Ministries of Community Development, of Tourism, of Foreign Affairs (through Zambian embassies), Broadcasting and Information, and of Home Affairs are cardinal to the instrumentation of Zambians abroad growing in their commitment to participating in the development of Zambia. Other key institutions are the media, Zambian churches, traditional ceremonies, entertainment sector, National Arts Council, Zambia cultural associations and the national emblems of the Zambian flag.

There is the opportunity to increase tourism as a result of Zambians abroad interacting with other nationalities and building outsider interest and goodwill towards Zambia. It was felt that part of the problems stalling the processes of promoting culture to the ends mentioned above is the poor clarity by the government on taking ownership of its citizens. A matter of urgency in this regard is the haphazard information on the process of renewing one’s passport leaving Zambians abroad facing uncertainty as to government’s perspective of their nationality. This affects the commitment of Zambians abroad to things Zambian.

Another critical point concerning identity rests with the fact that there is no place for dual citizenship, disqualifying Zambians in the diaspora from taking up positions in foreign countries that welcome dual citizens in high office. If adopted dual citizenship would accrue benefit both to the country of settlement as well as to Zambia. 

Government should offer incentives to diaspora Zambians investing in culture and related equipment and products.

Zambia Diaspora Connect | Zambia First

6

Zambia Diaspora Connect| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2009 

There is a need for members of the Zambian community abroad to be designated by government in honorary status as focal persons in promoting culture and identity among Zambians abroad as well as to the nations they have settled in.



Government should also develop e-governance systems that would help cope with administratively managing the identities of Zambians abroad. To facilitate this in the long term the Central Statistic Office should also be mandated to extend the national census through the embassies and through the Internet to collect vital statistics that would impact on national development including as may be projected through this diaspora forum consultative process.



The Ministry of Tourism and related players could target the diaspora and second generation Zambian diaspora into the tourist market by designing special tour packages and other packages tailor-made for the diaspora.



The diaspora can also be utilized to complement efforts in promoting Zambia. Travel costs incurred through tourism promotion initiatives could be greatly reduced by engaging and employing the skills of diaspora based in target markets abroad. An additional bonus is that the diaspora have a better understanding of the cultures and language of the host countries than officials from the tourism board based at home.



To cut down on costs associated with transfers and settlement at diplomatic missions the diaspora should be considered for appointments to diplomatic positions in their countries of foreign residence.



The development of a master-plan that integrates diaspora aspirations in culture with Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of Tourism was recommended

5. Primary Recommendations The report recognises the overarching nature of some of the issues raised in theme specific discussions and makes broad recommendations below to government, concerning Government’s definition of diaspora identity, diaspora remittances and government leadership. 5.1 Defining Zambia’s diaspora: 

Statistics

Zambia Diaspora Connect | Zambia First

7

Zambia Diaspora Connect| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2009 Government through the Central Statistical Office’s execution of the Census 2010 should include the enumeration of its citizens abroad, in order to ascertain the number of Zambians abroad for a more informed understanding of their demographic composition and the effects on national development to facilitate policy. 

Passports

Government through the combined coordination of the Ministry of Home Affair’s Passport Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s consular services, should formulate a strategy not only of new passport issuance facilitated by the embassies and the internet, but also expeditiously informs the diaspora of the procedures on how to do so, using a government internet site. 

Dual Citizenship

The National Constitutional Conference and Parliament should endorse an amendment to the Zambian Constitution to allow dual citizenship of Zambians who are granted citizenship by a second country, a position that has become an international norm. 5.2 Monitoring Diaspora Remittances The Government through the Bank of Zambia and the Central Statistics Office, should establish systems that indicate the levels of remittances by the diaspora in view of their significant economic importance. 5.3 Government Leadership of Diaspora Policy and Strategy The Zambia Development Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and National Planning’s Policy Department should facilitate a policy formulation platform which incorporates the Ministries mandated to coordinate Labour, Housing, Community Development, Culture, Tourism, Commerce, Home and Foreign Affairs for diaspora inclusion in the National Vision 2030 and the Sixth National Development Plan. 5.4 Development Partner Involvement The International Organisation on Migration should facilitate Government engagement of development partners with expertise in emigration, remittances and reversing brain drain, to optimize government’s perspectives and options in the development of diaspora policy and strategies.

Zambia Diaspora Connect | Zambia First

8

Zambia Diaspora Connect| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2009 6. Conference Next Steps 

Report dissemination to diaspora



Forming rapport with government



Developing project plans for implementation



Partnering migration specialist agencies



Hosting 2009 Diaspora E-Conference

7. Process Management Processes to manage the recommendations of the full paper will be managed by the steering committee, which hopes to be subsumed by a wider group to include representation from government and specialist migration organizations. Mr. Paul Lupunga (Australia), Ms. Tchiyiwe Chihana (UK), Mr. Chola Mukanga (UK), Mr. Chasaya Sichilima (Canada), Mr. Bright Chinganya (Australia) and Mr. Musaba Chailunga (Canada), the drafters of the full report are also coordinators of the follow-up actions in meeting the reports objectives. For updates on follow-up actions and other activities visit www.zambiaconnect.org and the blog at http://diasporaConnect.Blogspot.com.

9

Zambia Diaspora Connect | Zambia First