Morocco is one of the eight countries taking part in the joint initiative on Immigration and Development countries. The program is funded by the European Union and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (9.5 million USD) and implemented by the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP) in collaboration with the International Organization migration (IOM) and other international agencies.
This program, which is in its second phase focuses on the contribution of immigrants in the local development. The first, called “Immigration, territories and development”, lasts from April 2014 to January 2016 and requires a budget of 230,041 dollars; it involves local actors and Moroccan immigrants living abroad. Its primary aim is to strengthen the capacity and role of immigrants in the territorial development of Morocco.
The training of the civil society, local elected officials and local authorities on the social rights of immigrants is the key priority of this project.
It also seeks to raise awareness and enable the local authorities to take account of migration and development approaches in community development plans.
The participation of immigrants in the dynamics of economic development must be improved through the support of investment projects, local management and enabling equitable cooperative marketing in Europe through networks of social and economic solidarity.
Achieving this objective involves opening guidance offices and reception of migrants as well as building up a specific training on European standards and social rights for officials and elected representatives to manage these offices.
The second project (229,907.22 USD), which ends in February 2016, focuses on investment and the transfer of the know-how of immigrants for the revival of polyculture in Oasis Figuig. The goal of this project is to increase the performance of the old agricultural plots of Oasis Figuig and allow, therefore, the creation of local economic resources and the promotion of the sustainable development of the Oasis through supporting the residents of the city and the support of the figuigui immigrants.
The idea is to strengthen the local capacity, particularly that of women, in the production and development of products with high added value and also to preserve the biodiversity of the oasis and the local natural resources through the integrated development of the territory of Figuig. Therefore, cooperatives in Figuig will be accompanied and 14 agricultural plots will be developed. So about 14 paid positions for the benefit of local young farmers will be created.
The Minister in Charge of Moroccans Living Abroad and Migration Affairs, Anas Birou said on Friday, October 10, 2014, at a seminar to present the program, that the project reflects the excellent relations of cooperation that unite Morocco’s partners, whether in Switzerland, the European Union, the United Nations system or IOM.
According to the government official, Global awareness of the strong correlation between migration and development, and the potential of the immigrants to participate effectively in the development of their country of origin has led many actors in the world to develop programs to ensure that immigration contributes effectively in development. “Nationally, this translates to greater integration of migration policies and development strategies, with greater awareness,” he says.
Therefore, it appears essential, according to Mr. Birou, to create a national network of partners related to migration and development in municipalities, ministries, public institutions, finance companies and civil society, responsible for promoting and interchanging experiences of actions, projects and practices of the institutions in the mobilization of the diaspora.
