The Joint Migration and Development Initiative hosted by UNDP, with the participation of IOM, UNHCR, UNFPA and ILO, has an active and dynamic knowledge network that is hosting an e-discussion on the involvement of local authorities in Migration and Development.

The discussion is looking at the role of local authorities in migration policy making and international cooperation on migration and development (e.g. through decentralized development cooperation, engagement with diaspora communities). The JMDI team has already reached out to a number of ‘networks of networks’ of local authorities in order to encourage their members to join the CoP, as has IOM Rome, which will facilitate the discussion jointly with UNDP.

The discussion was launched on Monday, 6th September and will run for approximately four weeks, in French and English. Interested participants can follow the e-discussion by joining the CoP online here.

The focus of this e-discussion is on the involvement of local authorities in Migration and Development. During the course of the discussion, which will last for four weeks, we will look at a series of questions, focusing on a different question each week:

- Week 1 – Diasporas: What are the development goals, strategies and initiatives local authorities want to involve diasporas in and vice versa? To what extent do they match the priorities of diasporas?

- Week 2 – Partnerships: How can joint initiatives between local authorities, civil society and migrants associations be strengthened to the benefit of migrants’ communities of origin?

- Week 3: – Replication: What examples are there of successful migration and development initiatives involving Local Authorities which have been replicated or could be replicated? For example: public-private partnerships, projects involving diasporas or flexible circular migration initiatives? How has replication been achieved? What measures and practices might enhance local authorities’ capacity in both developed and developing countries to replicate successful initiatives?

- Week 4: – Local/national coherence: How might complementarity between decentralised cooperation activities and national programmes involving migrants be ensured in developed countries? And how can national and local development strategies in developing countries involve diaspora communities abroad in a coordinated manner? 

Contributions to the discussion may be sent to: m4d@groups.dev-nets.org or posted online here. 

The direct links to the discussion in French and English are: 

• English: http://www.migration4development.org/content/e-discussion-local-authorities-involvement-migration-and-development

• French: http://www.migration4development.org/fr/content/discussion-ligne-l%E2%80%99implication-autorit%C3%A9-locales-migration-et-d%C3%A9veloppement