S.N.Jilala
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 26, 2012
- 540
- 507
The influence of Diaspora in African sustainable development.
By
Simon Jilala
26/3/2016
1.0 Introduction
I was reading intensively on the factors affecting indigenous innovation/knowledge towards sustainable development in Africa. On my reading, I was interested by one paper written by Jean-Eric Aubert (2005), "Promoting Innovation in Developing Countries" It was a conceptual framework prepared for World Bank Institute.
Jean analyzed well on innovation and indigenous knowledge/innovation in developed and developing countries. How developing countries can do in order to benefits from world innovation and indigenous. I am interested to share with you one area on Jean paper which is BRAIN DRAIN i.e DIASPORA.
In his writings on BRAIN DRAIN PART, Jean said that, diaspora can helps more to bring sustainable development in developing countries as demonstrated by the examples of Israel, Greater China, and more recently India and Mexico, whose diaspora communities have been mobilized to transfer, teach, and upgrade the vital technical and managerial skills in their countries
2.0 Sustainable development
Sustainable development mean proper way of using environment. Development that meet the needs of present generation without compromising the future generation to get its needs.
Also, sustainable environment means improving the quality of human being while living the carrying capacity, supporting ecosystem. Ecosystem means interdependence between organism and their physical environment
The main issue is investing on input so that to get high output in terms of production (material and manufactured goods, education and expected labour, capital and expected production, innovation and output).
Sustainable and development requires political, economic, social, a production, technological and international systems.
3.0 Ways on how developing countries can benefits from diaspora
Here we are talking on international systems that can foster sustainable patterns of trade and financial issues in Africa.
The African countries need to use Diaspora effectively and efficiency in order to bring positive and new knowledge on development perspective.
But, note that without consideration of sustainable development requirements surely diaspora can hesitate to invest in their mother country.
Imagine on the environment of political conflicts in many Africans nation, who will be interested to invest?. Firstly, we need to make sure that the requirements for sustainable development is good. Secondly, investment environment also should motivate our diaspora to invest in home land otherwise, diaspora will never invest.
Jean, (2005), write that, there are essentially four main ways in which diaspora can nurture the knowledge to base in their home countries.
1. By returning home which new knowledge gained elsewhere (e.g. Taiwan). This rarely happen on a large scale without professional and financial incentives provided by the government. The home country must be able to provide the infrastructure and career opportunities necessary to meet the aspirations workers may have developed during their stay abroad.
2. Through foreign direct investment (e.g Chinese diaspora).
3. By acting as mediators between foreign and local partners (e.g. India). Indian expatriates have maneuvered as brokers between Indian companies and US partners intending to invest in India, and have provided valuable links with foreign markets notably helping US buyers to find suppliers in India, hence boosting outstanding potential in India.
4. Through sending back money to their home country, i.e remittances. Remittances from foreign workers, both permanent and temporary, are the second-largest source of external funding for developing countries, after foreign direct investment.
4.0 Recommendation
Firstly, I recommend the African government to make sure that, there are sustainable development requirements systems of political, economic, social, a production, technological and an international systems, otherwise the diaspora will hesitate to invest on home countries.
Secondly, diaspora should remember that, their home countries is very important, hence, they need their direct or indirect contributions.
5.0 Conclusion
For sustainable development in Africa, African countries should embark seriously in reconstructing sustainable development requirements in order to encourage BRAIN DRAIN particularly diaspora. And also, Africa need innovation system which is clear. Innovation system is defined as the set of organizations (firms, university, public laboratories, e.t.c) and their linkage is through which innovation process develop.
In low-income countries, where the Institutions capabilities are limited, policies should focus on basic investment in technology infrastructure and demonstration operations of "basic" innovations which can contribute to improvement of welfare, education and agriculture.
This is important for establishing a dynamic technology sector and for promoting technology led development which goes beyond meeting the need to survive. We need BRAIN DRAIN contributions so that we can move quickly in terms of socio-economic, political and environmental aspects.
By
Simon Jilala
26/3/2016
1.0 Introduction
I was reading intensively on the factors affecting indigenous innovation/knowledge towards sustainable development in Africa. On my reading, I was interested by one paper written by Jean-Eric Aubert (2005), "Promoting Innovation in Developing Countries" It was a conceptual framework prepared for World Bank Institute.
Jean analyzed well on innovation and indigenous knowledge/innovation in developed and developing countries. How developing countries can do in order to benefits from world innovation and indigenous. I am interested to share with you one area on Jean paper which is BRAIN DRAIN i.e DIASPORA.
In his writings on BRAIN DRAIN PART, Jean said that, diaspora can helps more to bring sustainable development in developing countries as demonstrated by the examples of Israel, Greater China, and more recently India and Mexico, whose diaspora communities have been mobilized to transfer, teach, and upgrade the vital technical and managerial skills in their countries
2.0 Sustainable development
Sustainable development mean proper way of using environment. Development that meet the needs of present generation without compromising the future generation to get its needs.
Also, sustainable environment means improving the quality of human being while living the carrying capacity, supporting ecosystem. Ecosystem means interdependence between organism and their physical environment
The main issue is investing on input so that to get high output in terms of production (material and manufactured goods, education and expected labour, capital and expected production, innovation and output).
Sustainable and development requires political, economic, social, a production, technological and international systems.
3.0 Ways on how developing countries can benefits from diaspora
Here we are talking on international systems that can foster sustainable patterns of trade and financial issues in Africa.
The African countries need to use Diaspora effectively and efficiency in order to bring positive and new knowledge on development perspective.
But, note that without consideration of sustainable development requirements surely diaspora can hesitate to invest in their mother country.
Imagine on the environment of political conflicts in many Africans nation, who will be interested to invest?. Firstly, we need to make sure that the requirements for sustainable development is good. Secondly, investment environment also should motivate our diaspora to invest in home land otherwise, diaspora will never invest.
Jean, (2005), write that, there are essentially four main ways in which diaspora can nurture the knowledge to base in their home countries.
1. By returning home which new knowledge gained elsewhere (e.g. Taiwan). This rarely happen on a large scale without professional and financial incentives provided by the government. The home country must be able to provide the infrastructure and career opportunities necessary to meet the aspirations workers may have developed during their stay abroad.
2. Through foreign direct investment (e.g Chinese diaspora).
3. By acting as mediators between foreign and local partners (e.g. India). Indian expatriates have maneuvered as brokers between Indian companies and US partners intending to invest in India, and have provided valuable links with foreign markets notably helping US buyers to find suppliers in India, hence boosting outstanding potential in India.
4. Through sending back money to their home country, i.e remittances. Remittances from foreign workers, both permanent and temporary, are the second-largest source of external funding for developing countries, after foreign direct investment.
4.0 Recommendation
Firstly, I recommend the African government to make sure that, there are sustainable development requirements systems of political, economic, social, a production, technological and an international systems, otherwise the diaspora will hesitate to invest on home countries.
Secondly, diaspora should remember that, their home countries is very important, hence, they need their direct or indirect contributions.
5.0 Conclusion
For sustainable development in Africa, African countries should embark seriously in reconstructing sustainable development requirements in order to encourage BRAIN DRAIN particularly diaspora. And also, Africa need innovation system which is clear. Innovation system is defined as the set of organizations (firms, university, public laboratories, e.t.c) and their linkage is through which innovation process develop.
In low-income countries, where the Institutions capabilities are limited, policies should focus on basic investment in technology infrastructure and demonstration operations of "basic" innovations which can contribute to improvement of welfare, education and agriculture.
This is important for establishing a dynamic technology sector and for promoting technology led development which goes beyond meeting the need to survive. We need BRAIN DRAIN contributions so that we can move quickly in terms of socio-economic, political and environmental aspects.
