Diaspora Involvement in Development Cooperation. The Case of Belgium and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Diaspora Involvement in Development Cooperation: The Case of Belgium and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is a double report which HIVA and Planet Finance drew up for The Belgian Development Cooperation and IOM. The HIVA researchers Tom de Bruyn and Johan Wets wrote part one which looks at the numbers, structures and activities of Congolese migrant organizations in Belgium and their current possibilities to play a significant role as development actors for their country of origin. The researchers explore the feasibility of a schematic model of a support structure involving a government fund to enhance the development impact of remittances in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They conclude that there is a great need for coordinating current initiatives of the various migrant organizations acitve in development, as well as for capacity building and systematic fundraising, before such a schematic model can realistically be implemented in Belgium. Funding avenues should be systematically explored, depending on the nature and the specific situation of the migrant organization and its development project. Special attention should be paid to the potential role of local actors such as municipalities in this context, as well as potential federal budget lines that could be applied to, while not neglecting the importance of synergies and partnerships with development NGOs already active in the DRC.nrpages: 128status: publishe