Brazzaville Workshop Aims for Synergy with the Diaspora
On November 12, a conference room in southern Brazzaville hosted representatives from ministries, municipal councils, and community leaders as the Forum of International Solidarity Organizations from Migrations, better known as Forim, unveiled its EU-funded Connect’Diasporas program.
This initiative, already implemented in five other African states, aims to formalize the often informal energy of Congolese living abroad by offering them a clear institutional entry point to co-design projects with the national administration and with the Impulse, Guarantee, and Support Fund, Figa.
The Connect’Diasporas Program Explained
Forim’s president told participants that the platform’s first task is to map priority sectors chosen by Congolese authorities—from agribusiness to digital services—and match them with skills available in the diaspora, thus avoiding scattered micro-projects that dilute impact and oversight.
He emphasized that Connect’Diasporas only supports structured entities such as NGOs, cooperatives, or local councils; individual entrepreneurial ideas, however commendable, remain outside its mandate. This approach reflects best practices in development, where pooled resources reduce risks for lenders and create measurable social returns.
Support comes from the European Union’s Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, whose call for proposals rewarded Forim’s experience since 2002 in Latin America and France. The Brazzaville workshop marks the first public step in translating the concept into Congolese administrative language.
Alignment with Congo’s National Development Plan
Linking the effort to Congo’s 2022-2026 National Development Plan, ministerial officials stressed that diaspora projects could strengthen pillars on industrial diversification and territorial equity, two policy areas championed by President Denis Sassou Nguesso. Forim’s mission thus fits within existing national goals rather than adding parallel agendas.
A senior planner at the Ministry of Economy noted that diaspora remittances already exceed some aid flows, but only a fraction is channeled into productive investments. “If we organize properly, this money can build real factories, not just pay school fees,” he added.
To ensure coherence, Forim will return within seven months to help finalize a framework document signed by the government, municipalities, and Capcos, the Coordination for Support to International Solidarity Projects for Congo-Brazzaville. This document will serve as a concise operational guide for all parties.
Financial Levers and the Role of Figa
Funding remains the crucial point. Figa, a state-backed mechanism launched in 2021, presented its guarantee instruments capable of de-risking diaspora-led enterprises in rural departments. By absorbing part of the initial loss, Figa hopes to convince local banks to extend credit beyond urban centers.
Workshop participants explored the possibility of a co-investment window where diaspora organizations would provide up to 30 percent of project equity, Figa would guarantee 50 percent of the loan, and municipalities would contribute land or tax incentives. The model has been tested in Senegal and offers adaptable precedents.
Forim officials also mentioned a digital platform to track every franc invested and every milestone achieved, increasing transparency and demonstrating to European partners that diaspora funding complements, rather than replaces, traditional development aid.
Stakeholders Welcome Inclusive Dialogue
Representatives of Congolese expatriates in Île-de-France and Canada participated via video conference, welcoming the government’s openness. “We have waited for years for a single point of contact,” said an engineer based in Montreal. “Today, we finally know who to call before sending money or equipment.”
Civil society voices in Congo echoed this optimism while calling for realistic timelines. “Local authorities need training to handle complex proposals from the diaspora,” observed an NGO representative. He suggested embedding technical advisors in each department to avoid bottlenecks in Brazzaville.
European diplomats present at the session described Connect’Diasporas as a concrete example of the renewed partnership narrative promoted at the EU-Africa Summit. By letting diaspora leaders steer the conversation, they argued, the project can avoid the paternalistic pitfalls of old cooperation schemes.
Roadmap to Sustainable Partnerships
In the coming weeks, sectoral roundtables will refine priority lists, with agriculture, renewable energy, and cultural industries already featuring prominently. The collected data will feed into the strategic document to be validated during Forim’s second mission, tentatively scheduled for mid-2024.
According to organizers, the roadmap will include key performance indicators such as jobs created, female beneficiaries, and carbon emissions avoided, aligning with Congo’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. Regular reviews should help policymakers adjust course without waiting for end-of-project audits.
Whether in the maritime hub of Pointe-Noire or the cocoa fields of Sangha, stakeholders agree the diaspora represents a reservoir of skills and capital. By channeling this reservoir through clear, government-approved rules, Connect’Diasporas could establish a citizen-driven development model across Central Africa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated it could integrate the framework into consular services, allowing embassies to certify diaspora associations and expedite documentation for equipment shipments—a longstanding logistical hurdle for grassroots initiatives.
Observers note that such administrative facilitation, though less visible than funding, can significantly shorten project implementation cycles and reassure foreign partners that the Congolese state backs the commitments announced in Brazzaville.