SDG’s and Migration

Scarce resources generate migration pressures accompanied with grave and complex regional and strategic implications. There are three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to migration namely reducing recruitment costs for migrant workers being indicator 10.7.1, reducing remittance costs (10.c.1) and increasing the volume of remittances as indicator 17.3.2.

UN and World Bank now have Migration Mandates

The World Bank and the UN have migration related mandates and in the year 2019 the UN established a Network on Migration consisting of 38 organizational members of the UN system.The UN has , in the backdrop of migration, formally sanctioned the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

Time to Give Back

In the migrant community Indians dominate skilled employment in high income countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Singapore as well as workers toiling in low skilled employment in Gulf countries namely Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

In the year 2009 remittance inflows into India were US $ 49 billion .Today India is the world’s foremost remittance destination and received more than $100 billion in 2022 as per a World Bank Report. In the year  2021 India received approximately $ 87 billion dollars in remittances with US migrants contributing over 20% of inflows. The Indian government has acknowledged the contribution of the overseas Indian community in the development of India by celebrating a day known as the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrated every two years. The motivation behind celebrating this day is further strengthening and consolidating the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the state of India and sentimentally anchoring them to their roots.

Influencing Public Policy

Indian origin individuals occupy influential positions in the West ranging from the Chief Executive of  Google CEO Sundar Pichai to Nobel laureate scientist Har Gobind Khorana and Microsoft CEO Sathya Nadella, Ajay Banga the nominee for the World Bank’s presidency and Kamala Harris the Vice President of the United States of America who supported Ajay Banga’s nomination. In the music entertainment industry leading music conductors are Zubin Mehta .The benefit of such individuals is that they can influence and mould government policies in the Western countries where they have migrated for the benefit of India. Indian expatriates and migrants are invaluable in mobilising resources, talent, and knowledge integral in rebuilding the Indian economy and attracting foreign direct investment.

Economics and Social Development by Diaspora

The Indian diaspora  frequently or consistently keeps returning to India for social, religious,cultural ,medical tourism ,ethnic affiliations and generally they tend to spend more lavishly than those Indians working in India which may be attributable to the dollar rupee (local currency) parity. Such spending lends impetus to latent economic activity .Migrant Indians can acquire immovable property in India with the exception of farm lands perhaps to maintain food security in India. In Pakistan more so then in India there is a need or legitimate aspiration to systematically tap the expatriate community whether it be the low income workers in the Middle East or those migrants in the higher income or skilled bracket in the US ,UK and Canada mostly. The nostalgic and patriotic Pakistani diaspora must be engaged in a sustainable manner and not by mere sporadic appeals to arrest declining remittances on account of formal versus informal dollar rupee conversion rates. Pakistan can appeal to the cultural sensitivities of diverse segments of the existing diaspora whether it be the second generation of overseas migrants of Pakistani origin or those approaching retirement and possessing invaluable expertise. Outreach can be made to the diaspora in EU as well .Somehow Pakistan has lagged behind in channelising and mobilising the resources and talent of the diaspora both at state and private sector level to rebuild the country. Those Pakistani’s investing in the real estate sector should be warned to exercise due diligence prior to ploughing their hard earned money in dubious projects. The diaspora may be convinced to invest primarily in the service sector where there is minimum bureaucratic involvement and only regulatory compliance is required and such areas are research, education ,capacity building ,internationally accredited public health initiatives and digital ventures. As the adage goes “once bitten twice shy “. A strong , vibrant and developed country is a source of joy and pride for migrants living in other countries.Instead of being Pakistan’s  biggest strategic asset the Pakistani diaspora feels let down.Time is running out and the tide must be reversed.

By Nadir Mumtaz

Source : https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/11/30/remittances-grow-5-percent-2022