1st theme of the e-consultation

At the recently concluded 18th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which ended last December 3, delegates acknowledged the contributions of migrants’ remittances to ACP countries’ development. One of the identified risks for ACP countries in connection with the financial crisis is the reduction of remittances (JPA Resolution on the on the impact of the financial crisis on the ACP States, 3 December 2009).

We are pleased to inform you that we are now ready to launch the first topic of our e-consultation: What do we know about migration and how it affects rural areas in ACP countries?
This discussion will run from December 7 – December 20. Kindly find hereafter a background note and some guide questions, to encourage the debate.

We invite you to share your ideas, opinions, and experiences. We would also welcome background documents which will be posted in this blog. A report, summarising the thematic electronic discussions, will be provided and widely circulated.

Always send your comments to: consultation-migration@cta.int, for immediate translation. One translated, your contribution will be disseminated to the mailing list.

We look forward to your active participation.

Best regards,

Leila Rispens-Noel
On behalf of the organizers

 

Theme 1:

What do we know about migration and how it affects rural areas in ACP countries?
It is increasingly recognized that migrants constitute an invaluable resource for development and poverty reduction in their home countries. For many developing countries, remittances from overseas migrants exceed development aid and foreign direct investment volumes. Moreover, remittances from migrant relatives, either internal or international, are often the main component of rural households’ incomes. Unlike aid, remittances flow directly to individual households and unlike loans they incur no debt. Besides contributing to household livelihoods, remittances can foster longer-term development through investment in education, land and small businesses.

At the same time, migration creates new challenges. First, in agriculture-based economies where a significant portion of the adult population is absent on migration, labour shortages may make the local economy highly dependent on remittances, raising concerns for its sustainability in the longer term. Secondly, migration may increase inequality, as households receiving remittances are able to buy land and other key resources, set up new businesses and improve their children’s education. Conversely, households not benefiting from this precious source of income may see their access to such resources and livelihood strategies reduced. Thirdly, inflows of remittances may exacerbate competition and even conflict, as individuals and groups seek to buy scarce valuable resources such as residential land in urban areas, and may foster corrupt practices by central and local government officials seeking to gain from that competition. Finally, in urban and peri-urban areas, substantial remittance inflows and lack of effective local planning may lead to unregulated urban expansion into previously agricultural lands without adequate service provision.

 

Despite extensive work on both migration and development, the links between the two remain little understood by policy makers and development practitioners. Little is known for instance of the role that remittances play regarding access to land and other natural resources in the home countries, and of the factors and policies that can help maximize their social and economic outcomes (FAO, Till to tiller: Linkages between international remittances and access to land in West Africa, 2004)

QUESTIONS:

• What are the key issues on Migration and Rural Development at global level and in ACP countries and regions? What do we know about its magnitude and trends?
• What are the different types of migration and root causes for migration? Why do people from the rural areas migrate and to where?
• How migration affects rural communities and their social and economic conditions?
• What is the role and impact of gender on migration and rural development?

 

LAUNCH OF THE E-CONSULTATION

IFAD estimates that more than 30 million African diasporas jointly contribute about US$40 billion in remittances to their families and communities back home every year. According to the World Bank remittance flows to the developing countries in 2008 reached US$ 338 billion. The decline in nominal dollar terms is small relative to the projected fall in private capital flows or official aid to developing countries. Despite the financial crisis, migrants worldwide sent an estimated US$ 317 billion, a 6.1 per cent decline over 2008 . For instance, in the 2008-2013 period, EU development aid to ACP countries channelled through the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) reached a total of Euro 22.98 billion or Euro 4.6 billion per year. By comparison, migrant remittances are now estimated to exceed Euro 20 billion per year.

But how does migration affect ACP rural development? The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) started discussing the key challenges on this issue during the Brussels Development Briefing on “How does international migration affect ACP rural development?” last 11th December 2008. The objectives of this briefing were 1) to raise awareness on key challenges; to promote exchange of information and expertise; and 2) to feed in the debate on migration and development by bringing various perspectives, 3) to define needed actions in support of migration and rural development. As a follow up to this event, we would like to invite you to join an electronic discussion on the “Key challenges on Migration and Rural development for ACP countries”.

The results of the discussion could help CTA plans for its future engagement in this thematic area and might lead to holding an international conference and/or conduct a full study on migration and rural development in ACP countries in 2010. Also CTA hopes that the input from various actors and key resources can contribute to the inclusion of migration and rural development in policy discussions during migration and development-related conferences in 2010.

The discussion will be held in French and English with translation provided by the organisers. Key resources and background documents will also be posted. Every two weeks from December 2009 – February 2010, we will circulate a short note on the key issue, followed by some guide questions, to stimulate reactions and inputs from the participants. Please do not hesitate to bring to our attention any eventual issue you would like to be raised. Kindly always send your messages and contributions to the organisers, for immediate translation. Once translated, your contribution will be disseminated to the mailing list.

A report, summarising the electronic discussions, will be provided and widely circulated among stakeholders and decision-makers.

We would be grateful if you could confirm your interest and participation in this initiative by sending your response by e-mail to Mrs Leila Rispens-Noel (leila.wimler@gmail.com) and Ms Silvia Scalco (silviascalco@gmail.com).

Thank you in advance for your kind cooperation.

On behalf of the organizers,

Leila Rispens-Noel and Isolina Boto