Diaspora Commission partners IOM on Diaspora data mapping
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has declared its readiness to partner the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to ensure accurate, comprehensive and efficient database for Nigerians in Diaspora.
According to the NiDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the partnership will help accentuate the national planning and development through the aggregation of Diaspora resources.
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Dabiri-Erewa, made the disclosure while meeting with a delegation from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Abuja.
She noted that Diaspora mapping will help identify the demographic population of Nigerians across the world estimated at about 17 million.
While commending the IOM for their support in the production of the draft national Diaspora policy, the NiDCOM chairman affirmed her commitment to working assiduously with the IOM for a successful database of Nigerians in Diaspora.
On her part, the leader of the delegation, the Chief of Mission, IOM Nigeria, Frantz Celestin, observed that Diaspora data mapping is crucial to a nation’s development, adding that this has prompted the setting up of the project, connecting Diaspora for development (CD4D-2), a wholly Diaspora focused programme supported by the Dutch government.
Frantz stressed that the primary focus of the project is to promote the dynamic role of the Diaspora in the public and private sectors in Nigeria.
Asides Nigeria, countries such as Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq are the countries of interest for the project.
He also informed that the project will look into impacting knowledge and skill setting in the areas of agriculture, healthcare and ICT, adding that the IOM will be closely working on matters related to mental health and tuberculosis.
The meeting also discussed the issue of the Diaspora trust fund, stressing that it takes time, trust and machinery, citing the case of India and Ethiopia, that will be an experience for Nigeria to leverage on and plan for a thorough and effective strategy.
