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Diaspora Engagement in Economic Development
‘Diaspora Engagement in Economic Development’ (DEED) was a programme funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kosovo. The DEED Programme was an innovative initiative to encourage the Kosovo Diaspora to be more actively involved in the economic development of the country and their communities of origin.
The project consisted of three main components that it aimed to achieve:
- Strengthening capacities of Kosovo authorities to implement the National Strategy for Diaspora 2013-2018;
- Upscaling and consolidation of the tested models and mechanisms that facilitate migrants’ investments in Kosovo;
- Improving business environment in Kosovo to facilitate development impact of migration and remittances.
The DEED project was seeking strategies to promote the use of formal channels for remittance transfers, and at the same time hold financial literacy trainings in order to educate women and men to better manage their finances and dedicate parts of their budget to savings and investments. The project also supported the engagement of the private sector to develop and offer innovative products that would facilitate the transfer of remittances, e.g. by reducing the transfer costs, and supporting the accumulation of savings by remittance-receiving households.
The DEED project was aiming to stimulate a strong private sector in Kosovo by providing migrants and the diaspora with the most appropriate, viable, and sustainable instruments for utilizing their financial and technical assets in job creation. The project worked with stakeholders in both the private and public sector in Kosovo and abroad, to evaluate and test potential models that would ease and incentivize the process of investment.
The DEED project assisted the Ministry in identifying policies and mechanisms for addressing the needs of migrants and diaspora so that they could have an opportunity to more effectively and efficiently contribute to the economic development of Kosovo. Through effective policies and active involvement, migration was made into a driving force for creating better conditions in Kosovo in order to curb further emigration and facilitate a dignified return for Kosovars abroad. The DEED project has provided technical assistance to the National Strategy on Diaspora and Migration Remittance study.