“Diaspora communities have the potential to be the most powerful people-to-people asset we can bring to the world’s table.”
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
Global Diaspora Forum, Spring 2011
The Opportunity
Over the last 45 years, the number of people living outside their country of origin has almost tripled—from 76 million to 215 million. In 2011 alone, this global diaspora sent over $351 billion to their families in developing countries. The United States has the largest number of global diaspora members of any country in the world. Virtually all Americans have immigrant roots — and these roots are a quintessential part of our national narrative. As potential ambassadors by their identities, the diplomatic and developmental influence of global diaspora communities has been largely overlooked.
The Alliance
To unleash this potential, the Secretary of State’s Global Partnership Initiative (S/GPI), in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Migration Policy Institute, launched the International diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA) at the Secretary’s Global Diaspora Forum on May 17, 2011. IdEA harnesses the global connections of diaspora communities to promote sustainable development in their countries of heritage. By supporting partnerships around trade and investment, volunteerism, philanthropy, and innovation, the Alliance provides a platform for capacity-building and a forum for collaboration across sectors to scale efforts to improve lives in countries of origin.
The Five Ideas
IdEA promotes the following five core modes of diaspora engagement around the world:
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Entrepreneurship: Support diaspora entrepreneurs in investing and building sustainable enterprises as well as stimulating trade in countries of origin.
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Diplomacy: Strengthen the role of diasporas in diplomacy, advocacy, and peace building via nontraditional media such as sports, arts, and culture.
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Volunteerism: Encourage the proliferation of platforms that facilitate diaspora volunteerism in countries of origin.
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Innovation: Foster diaspora innovations in communication and information technologies in order to enhance and deepen engagement.
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Philanthropy: Cultivate diaspora giving in areas of education, health, nutrition, and disaster relief in countries of origin.
IdEA’s Initiatives
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African Diaspora Marketplace (ADM): Encourages sustainable economic growth and employment by supporting U.S.-based African diaspora entrepreneurs with innovative and high-impact ideas for start-up and established businesses in Africa.
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Caribbean Idea Marketplace (CIM): A business competition platform which aims to foster collaboration between Caribbean diaspora entrepreneurs to develop and expand innovative projects that will generate employment and economic growth.
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Latino American Idea (La Idea): Establishes a regional business competition to support entrepreneurs from the Latin American diaspora to create jobs and promote trade and investment.
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Tunisia Partnerships Forum: A convening forum designed to create revenue-generating deals that will benefit both Americans and Tunisians by fostering job creation and economic opportunity.
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Champions of Change in Diaspora Communities: In collaboration with The White House, honoring leaders who are helping to build stronger neighborhoods in communities across the country, working to mobilize networks across borders to address global challenges.
By the Numbers
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215 Million: Estimated number of international migrants worldwide in 2010
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#1: America is home to the largest number of international migrants
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$351 Billion: Amount of recorded remittances sent to developing countries in 2011
