Main area: Migration
Theme: Engagement with diaspora
Assessment: ODA-eligible
Provider country: Belgium
Recipient country: Morocco
Implementing agency: Enabel, Belgian Development Agency
Budget (EUR million): 1.25
Year(s): 2018-2023
Purpose code: 25010
Case number: Migration / 29
Maghrib Belgium Impulse (MBI): support for the implementation of the National Strategy for Moroccans Living Abroad
As a country of emigration, Morocco pays special attention to Moroccans living abroad and makes significant efforts to strengthen ties with its diaspora. In this context, the Moroccan government implements a comprehensive and integrated policy in their favour, described in ‘La Stratégie Nationale en faveur des Marocain(e)s Résidant à l’Etranger’. However, a lack of knowledge of the Moroccan regulatory framework and support mechanism, difficulties in identifying the right interlocutors and a lack of access to relevant information still hinder the steps taken by Moroccans living abroad who wish to invest in Morocco. The MBI project has been developed to support the Moroccan Government in the implementation of the National Strategy for Moroccans living abroad.
The general objective of this intervention is to mobilise the skills of Moroccans living in Belgium so that they can contribute to the development in Morocco.The specific objective is to support Moroccans living in Belgium in making productive investments in Morocco.
Specific activities focus on: 1) the mobilisation and individual support for Moroccans living in Belgium for the creation and marketing of their businesses in Morocco, and 2) making the Moroccans living in Belgium aware of the business opportunities in their country of origin and facilitating their efforts, in close collaboration with Belgian institutions supporting entrepreneurship.
Individual level: Support to 25 « porteurs de projets », i.e. Belgo-Moroccan diaspora-led investments. The support is adapted to the different stages of business-creation, from incubation of start-ups to acceleration of already established enterprises. The support specifically included gender-sensitive approaches aimed at providing women entrepreneurs from the Belgo-Moroccan diaspora with tailor-made services. A specific support has been provided also to businesses investing in environmentally-sustainable technologies.
Level of the territories and communities: Creation of 25 decent jobs in Morocco through the establishment and/or acceleration of enterprises promoting the employment of talented men and women.
Systemic level: Establishment of the partnership between the Administration supporting Moroccans living abroad and the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises. The partnership aims at the standardization of services offered and procedures applied to diaspora investors and entrepreneurs creating added value and decent jobs in Morocco.
This activity is deemed ODA-eligible. It provides support to the Moroccan Government to implement its national strategy and focusses on skill mobilisation of Moroccans living in Belgium to contribute to the development of Morocco. The primary objective is developmental, namely to support private sector development in Morocco through investments by Belgo-Moroccan diaspora. The engagement with diaspora is a means to achieve this objective. Given the activity’s clear developmental focus, it is eligible as per Criterion 8.
This work was approved and declassified by the Development Assistance Committee’s Working Party on Development Finance Statistics.
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