Kathmandu: IOM Nepal held the Brainstorming Consultation on Diaspora Engagement for Employment Creation and Sustainable Development under the ENGIN Project from July 3 to July 5. The consultation was jointly organized by the Ministry of Youth, Labour and Employment and IOM Nepal, in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the objective of exploring strategic approaches to mobilize the Nepali diaspora for employment creation, innovation, and sustainable development.
The event brought together representatives from key government institutions, including the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies; Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation; Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development; Ministry of Forests and Environment; Ministry of Health and Food Security; and Nepal Rastra Bank. Participants also included representatives from the Great Nepali Diaspora, Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), private sector organizations (FNCCI, CNI, and NCC), GIZ, and experts from the IOM Headquarters, who joined virtually to present global experiences on diaspora engagement.
IOM stated that the consultation further benefited from the participation of distinguished diaspora experts, including a semiconductor industry specialist, a SpaceX Hyperloop competition winner, a bio-research scientist, and a wireless/6G engineer from Apple, who shared insights on leveraging global expertise for Nepal’s development.
Participants engaged in thematic group discussions across four priority areas:
The consultation also included discussions on developing a comprehensive diaspora engagement framework to guide future policies and programmes. The recommendations and key outcomes generated through the group work and plenary discussions will be synthesized into a discussion paper to inform the development of a strategic framework for diaspora engagement in Nepal.
