11. Diasporas and Development in the ACP-EU Relationship

This chapter, by Trinidadian academic Keith Nurse and Italian scholar Ramona Ruggeri, examines the links between diasporas and development, and the role of diaspora relations in the partnership between the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) group and the European Union (EU). Nurse and Ruggeri argue that, in light of development and demographic challenges faced by the ACP and the EU respectively, both regions stand to benefit from strengthening their dialogue and partnership on migration, diaspora relations, and related issues. The chapter focuses on the economic aspects of ACP-EU diaspora relations in particular, and the authors argue for a strategic approach to addressing the challenges posed by brain drain and labour mobility. The chapter further calls for greater understanding of, and support for, diasporic economic flows, especially with respect to remittances and diasporic trade, which offer innovative avenues to address the development gap in ACP economies and the labour gap in the EU. In this respect, the chapter puts forward the case for less restrictive migration policies, greater respect for migrant rights, and improved data and analyses on migration and diasporic communities.