Since the G20 Summit of 2015, France has adopted a National Plan on Remittances which seeks to: (i) facilitate remittances by reducing their costs; (ii) maximizing the value of remittances by orientating them towards sustainable and growth-generating projects; (iii) improve its knowledge of remittances fluxes to develop a better understanding of migrants’ needs. The improvement of migrants’ access to financial products and services was already one of the axes of a law adopted in 2014. This law allowed the commercialization, in France, of financial products and services by banks located in partner countries.

France launched a new version of the French price comparison website ‘envoidargent.fr’ including a mobile version, in 2016. This platform, aimed at migrants, compares the prices and services offered by banks and MTOs. An evaluation study conducted in 2017 led to a series of recommendations to improve the collective strategy and governance of the website.

In order to promote the use of remittances towards growth-inducing activities by migrants, France is supporting the MEETAfrica project, which aims to support African entrepreneurs, researchers or professionals who graduated from French or German universities in the creation of a business in their country of origin.

France has also made a 7M€ contribution to the multi-donor ‘Migrations and Development’ fund of the African Development Bank. The objective of this fund is to foster innovation to facilitate remittances transfers, and to support development projects led by Diasporas.

In terms of development initiatives driven by diaspora organization, France also funds, since 2003, the PRA/OSIM program: this initiative of the FORIM, a national platform that brings together networks, federations and groups of Diaspora-led International Solidarity Organizations (OSIMs), intends to support local development projects. It awards 50 projects led by diaspora associations yearly with on average €15.000 grants.

Finally, in February 2018, France, through its Inter-ministerial Committee on International Cooperation and Development, has adopted the “International Migrations and Development” Action Plan, which reaffirms the importance to facilitate remittances transfers and diaspora’ investments. The 2018-2022 strategy includes the objectives of reducing the costs and maximizing the value of remittances, notably through the improvement of digital tools.