Somali Diaspora Groups in Sweden - Engagement in Development and Relief Work

Invitation to seminar April 19th, 2018

Diaspora groups – migrants, refugees and their descendants – are important development actors in many countries. Global remittance flows are today three times greater than the global official development assistance. Moreover, diaspora groups are actively involved in development projects and humanitarian relief. The Somali-Swedish diaspora engagement in Somalia plays a significant role in crisis and contribute to long-term processes of change. Somalia is a partner country to the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and receives significant amounts of aid.

At this seminar, Delmi will launch the report Somali Diaspora Groups in Sweden: Engagement in Development and Relief Work in the Horn of Africa, by Nauja Kleist, senior researcher at the Danish Institute for international Studies. This report analyses what drives, motivates, challenges, constrains and supports diaspora engagement, including the working relationship between diaspora groups and Swedish development actors.

The seminar intends to contribute to the debate about diaspora engagement in development and relief, and how diaspora groups can improve development effects of Swedish aid to Somalia.

Speakers at the seminar:
Nauja Kleist Senior researcher, at the Danish Institute for International Studies, Denmark
Cindy Horst Professor in Migration and Refugee Studies at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
Per H Karlsson Head of Development Cooperation, Somalia section of the Swedish Embassy in Nairobi
Hans Magnusson Director, Africa Department, Sida
Elisabet Eklind Head of Hub Multi-Regional, Forum Syd
Habane Hassan Somalian National Association in Sweden
Kristof Tamas Moderator, Director, The Migration Studies Delegation (Delmi)

Where: Hörsalen, Sida, Valhallavägen 199, Stockholm, Sweden

When: Thursday, April 19th, from 13.00 – 15.00

Please RSVP to attend by contacting Delmi via email at ju.delmi@regeringskansliet.se by Monday, April 16th.

See attachment for the invitation and program below.

The Migration Studies Delegation is an independent committee that initiates studies and supplies research results as a basis for future migration policy decisions and to contribute to public debate.