This project is a part of a larger multi-year intervention “Moldova – Making the Most of Migration”, funded by the Swiss Development Cooperation and beginning in mid-2015.

The project is implemented in partnership between IOM Moldova and the Diaspora Relations Bureau (BRD) in synergy and close coordination with the two other SDC commissioned project (implemented by UNDP and IASCI).

The MIDIDOM project focuses primarily on creating enabling conditions and mechanisms at central and countrywide level, the UNDP project will take a bottom up approach and mobilize local level actors, while the IASCI project will aim to engage private sector as an important actor of development in Moldova. The project will be implemented in line with the IOM’s 3E Diaspora engagement model and create necessary momentum and operationalization of the recently adopted National Strategy “Diaspora-2025: Towards productive actual and virtual return to Moldova” in particular its specific objective:
“engage with the diaspora on socio-cultural, educational and other development themes”.

The programme “Consolidating Moldova’s Diaspora, Migration and Development Institutional Framework” is designed to pursue the overall goal of maximize the positive impact of migration on the country’s socio-economic development through improved national and local institutional framework and enhanced engagement of the diaspora. The project’s proposed plan of action provides a sustainable, comprehensive and inclusive approach to the enhancement of the institutional framework for Diaspora, Migration and Development (DMD) at the national and local level, facilitating the productive involvement of the Moldovan diaspora and migrant community in the development of their country of origin.

The present project supports via its first set of activities (under outcome 1) the capacity of the national and local public institutions with a diaspora-engaging mandate, aiming at fostering the efficiency, ownership and sustainability of the coordination role, as well as strengthening the capacities for elaborating and implementing diaspora-engagement policies and services. In this sense, the overall focus of outcome 1 is to develop strategic and operational framework of Diaspora, Migration and Development (DMD) domain at the local and national levels which will facilitate the productive involvement of Moldovan diaspora and migrants in the development of their home country, including through diaspora innovation and volunteering programmes.

The specific main outputs (by 2018) of the first set of activities are:

• DMD national and local focal points elaborate and implement policies and services for and with the diaspora and the assumes the leadership on DMD;
• National and local authorities have developed specific communication tools for diaspora involvement;
• Volunteering and community actions Programme and the Moldovan Diaspora Innovation Hub launched and implemented;
• Investment projects have the access to viable crowdfunding mechanisms.

The second set of activities (under outcome 2) focuses on the empowering of the diaspora and migrant communities in directly engaging in economic, socio-cultural, philanthropic, educational and other development themes. The overall focus of outcome 2 is to enhance the capacity of migrant associations and initiative groups in the destination countries to become active in support of local development of the homeland. As a result, diaspora representatives and migrants will be able to engage in economic, socio-cultural, philanthropic, educational and other development themes, using efficient dialogue platforms between the diaspora, business communities and the Government. This objective shall be reached via, on the one hand, improving the capacity and tools available to the associations leaders and their network to raise funds, mobilize the diaspora potential/ expertize, and expand their local outreach, as well as, on the other hand, create a functional and sustainable platform for the systematic involvement of diaspora representatives as agents of homeland development.

The specific main outputs of the second set of activities are:
• Diaspora organizations are empowered to motivate Moldovan migrants for participation and engagement in development related areas;
• Diaspora organizations leaders are enabled to raise funds and implement development projects;
• Thematic Partnerships among associations established;
• Diaspora business leaders are agents of development and engagement.