Diaspora Investment to Help Achieve the SDGs in Africa: Prospects and Trends

Abstract

Governments and the private sector have traditionally viewed the diaspora as both ongoing providers of financial capital at the micro level, and, as consumers. While recognition of the diaspora’s role in ‘doing development’ has grown, and the diaspora are increasingly seen as important development stakeholders, they are still not viewed as significant social investors by governments, the private sector, or indeed the diaspora themselves. This represents a missed opportunity for harnessing and seeking to scale up diaspora investments for socio-economic growth, especially given the gap in financing available to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This chapter offers an overview of diaspora investment types and forms, dividing these into four main types, namely: diaspora philanthropy, diaspora remittances, diaspora direct investment (DDI), and diaspora Portfolio Investment (DPI). It argues that governments, financial institutions, the private sector, and the diaspora themselves should view diaspora investments as part of the development financing mix, especially as part of ‘blended finance’ packages.