ECA, member countries, showcase African experience with remittances, diaspora contributions to GCM goals in New York

WHAT: Side event on "Remittances and Diaspora Contributions to achieve the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) goals in Africa"
WHEN: Wednesday 6 May 2026, from 1.45 pm to 2.30 pm EDT (GMT -4)
WHERE: United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States, Conference room B
ONLINE PARTICIPATION: Registration link tbc
LANGUAGES: Discussions will be translated into English and French

New York, May 4th, 2026 (ECA) - The ECA Office for North Africa is holding, on Wednesday 6 May at the UN headquarters in New York, a round table under the theme: 'Remittances and Diaspora Contributions to achieve the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) goals in Africa.

The meeting will provide a platform for African officials to discuss and showcase how diasporas and remittances can act as catalysts for socio-economic development in Africa, and actionable strategies, policy mechanisms and innovative tools that can be used to amplify their impact and achieve objectives of the Global Compact for Migration.

Participants will examine successful African case studies from countries such as Tunisia , Ghana and Algeria and their experiences in embedding diasporas' contributions into national development agendas as drivers of sustainable development.

Since 2024, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, through its office for North Africa, has been implementing a programme on remittances and diaspora contributions as drivers of sustainable development. The programme covers several countries including Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Lesotho and Tunisia. The programme has enabled participating countries to carry out significant reforms including the mainstreaming remittances into the national development plan as a source of funding for development in the case of Tunisia and Ghana.

The round table on "Remittances and Diaspora Contributions to achieve the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) goals in Africa" will be held on the margins of the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) scheduled in New York, United States on 4-8 May 2026.

For more information about this meeting, please send an email to [email protected] or [email protected]