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Diaspora policies and organisations around the world
Advance Global Australians values the learnings, research and work of similar organisations around the world connecting diaspora with their home country.
EUROPE (INCLUDING UK & CENTRAL EUROPE)
| COUNTRY | DIASPORA POLICY? | DIASPORA ORGANISATION | ||
| Albania | Yes. Albanian National Diaspora Strategy and Action Plan 2021-2025 |
Germin & Global Albanian Foundation | ||
| Austria | Yes Austria is engaged in a broad range of diaspora policies: from culture, citizenship matters, over economic policies to social protection. |
World Federation of Austrians Abroad | ||
| Czechia | Yes. Frames the country’s engagement with its national abroad engaged in all areas. Relates to consular protection, education, national elections and culture. |
No Czech Centres serve a cultural diplomacy agenda globally, with limited reference to the diaspora. |
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| Denmark | No. No direct diaspora policy, although there is policy relating to the representation of Danish people living abroad through consular services. This is mainly for travelers, but also extends to Danish citizens living abroad. |
Danes Worldwide | ||
| Estonia | Yes Mainly focused on culture and language. |
No Appears to be in development phase. See survey of overseas Estonians. |
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| Finland | Yes Regional policy for Finns living in Nordic countries; and a Finnish Expatriate Parliament |
No | ||
| France | Yes France has an elaborate and diversified set of diaspora policies. By international standards, France has one of the most generous extra-terriitorial franchise for citizens residing abroad. |
Assembly of French Citizens Abroad | ||
| Georgia | Yes Parliamentary Committee |
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| Germany | No. For the most part, the German Government does not reach out to or encourage engagement from or with German nationals living abroad. However, they do have a robust system for expats to vote, and facilitated access from abroad to pensions for years worked in Germany. |
No | ||
| Greece | Yes. Greek diaspora policies often emphasize Greek descent, blood ties, religious affiliation and language and are not restricted to citizens. |
SAE Oceania – World Council |
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| Hungary | Yes. Generally speaking, the state’s responsibility towards nationals abroad is regulated by the Act XLVI of 2001 on Consular Protection and the implementing ministerial decree on the detailed rules on consular protection. |
Hungarian Diaspora Council (umbrella to overseas communities) |
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| Ireland | Yes. Focused on supporting, connecting with, recognising and facilitating their diaspora. |
Global Irish Network |
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| Italy | Yes. Includes (1) a network of consular, cultural and educational institutions abroad, (2) a system of local consultation bodies, (3) a network of regional emigration councils, (4) a specific parliamentary representation of Italians abroad, (5) a specific governmental authority for Italians abroad and (6) a unique transnational network of welfare advice centers, called Patronati. |
Yes General Council of Italians Abroad (CGIE) |
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| Kosovo | Yes. National Strategy for Diaspora Engagement 2023 – 2033 |
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| Latvia | Yes. Latvia passed the Diaspora Law in 2020. |
World Latvian Economics and Innovation Forum and World Federation of Free Latvians |
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| Lithuania | Yes. The Global Lithuania programme within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes the strategic guidelines for development of a diaspora policy. |
Global Lithuanian Leaders |
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| Netherlands | No. Limited beyond facilitating consular assistance in cases of emergency on an ad-hoc basis. |
No | ||
| Norway | No information | Noram – Only focused on America. | ||
| Poland | Yes. The diaspora policy in Poland is implemented, in practice, by several different bodies within the governmental administration. |
Department for Cooperation with Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad maintains a list of all organisations for overseas Poles |
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| Portugal | Yes. Portugal has sought to strengthen economic, social and political ties with Portuguese citizens and their descendants living abroad. |
Portuguese Diaspora Council | ||
| Romania | Yes National Strategy for Romanians Abroad 2023-2026 |
No | ||
| Scotland | Yes. Scottish Connections Framework |
Global Scot | ||
| Slovak Republic | Yes. The Slovak Republic shall support the national awareness and cultural identity of Slovaks living abroad, support the institutions established to achieve this purpose and relations with their home country. |
Office of Slovaks Living Abroad | ||
| Slovenia | Yes. Act in place recognising all Slovenians living abroad as a part of the unified Slovenian nation. Support relates to the maintenance of Slovenian language, culture and heritage. |
Four non-governmental organisations to link Slovenians abroad with their home country: Slovenian World Congress, Emigrant Association Slovenia in the World, Slovene Emigrant Association, and St. Raphael’s Society. | ||
| Spain | Yes. Do have a diaspora policy, although in areas of social protection, it is not comprehensive. |
Conexión España | ||
| Sweden | No. The Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) is in theory responsible for Swedish migrants living abroad. In practice, however, this agency is almost exclusively focused on (foreign) immigration to Sweden |
Swedes Worldwide | ||
| Switzerland | No | The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad | ||
| Turkey | Yes. Focuses on the successful integration of Turkish people into the countries they reside in, and support of migrants in their demands for cultural rights. |
Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities | ||
| United Kingdom | No. The UK lacks any diaspora engagement policy or social protection policies for its nationals residing abroad, and is therefore underpinned by a passive approach to its emigrants. |
No. Separate policies / organisations exist for Scots and Welsh |
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| Wales | Yes. Diaspora Action Plan |
Global Welsh | ||
| Other | See engagement map | |||
AFRICA / MIDDLE EAST
| COUNTRY | DIASPORA POLICY? | DIASPORA ORGANISATION | ||
| Ghana | No | Star 100 | ||
| Israel | Yes. One of the oldest diaspora policies with a broad multinational definition of “Jewish Diaspora”. See perspectives on the Israeli diaspora. |
World Jewish Congress | ||
| Lebanon | Yes | World Lebanese Cultural Union | ||
| Other Middle East | See engagement map | |||
| Other Africa | See engagement map | |||
ASIA
| COUNTRY | DIASPORA POLICY? | DIASPORA ORGANISATION | ||
| China | Yes | Overseas Chinese Affairs Office | ||
| India |
Yes. |
Extensive network of country-specific organisations | ||
| Japan |
Yes. Japan maintains a division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Emigration and the Nikkei Communities. An Overseas Emigration Council outlined recommendations in 2000. |
Association of Nikkei and Japanese Abroad | ||
| Korea |
Yes. Has an elaborate diaspora management policy that has been used since the 1990s. |
Overseas Koreans Foundation | ||
| Philippines |
Yes. Philippines’ Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) directly under the Office of the President. Role of promoting economic and cultural ties between the Philippines and its diaspora. Three special offices under the departments of labour and employment and foreign affairs focused on diaspora. |
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| Sri Lanka |
Yes. Engaging Overseas Sri Lankans for development activities is a focus of the Economic Affairs Division under the Economic Diplomacy Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. |
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| Other | See engagement map | |||
PACIFIC/OCEANIA
| COUNTRY | DIASPORA POLICY? | DIASPORA ORGANISATION | ||
| Australia |
No. Following a Senate inquiry into Australian expatriates in 2005, there has been limited traction for a dedicated diaspora policy. This 2021 article by Andrew Rosser suggests that politics has made it hard to keep outward migration/diaspora engagement on the agenda. |
Advance Global Australians | ||
| New Zealand |
No. New Zealand does not have a diaspora management plan, but investigated the role and size of the diaspora since 2004. |
Kea NZ |
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| Other | See engagement map | |||
NORTH AMERICA
| COUNTRY | DIASPORA POLICY? | DIASPORA ORGANISATION | ||
| Canada |
No. It has been posed that a clear diaspora strategy needs to be created as a priority area within Canadian public discourse. |
Canadians Abroad (now Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada) | ||
| United States | No | The Association of Americans Resident Overseas | ||
LATIN AMERICA / CARIBBEAN
| COUNTRY | DIASPORA POLICY? | DIASPORA ORGANISATION | ||
| Brazil | No | |||
| Chile | No | |||
| Colombia | No |
Aculco – Relates to Colombians residing in Spain, Italy and England. |
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| Costa Rica | No |
Ticotal Network – For scientists and engineers who study or work abroad. |
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| Jamaica | Global Jamaica Diaspora Council | |||
| Mexico |
No Mexico has a robust department within the government for engaging with Mexicans around the world. The new migration policy includes aspects of relationship with Mexicans abroad, but is not a diaspora policy per se. |
Red Global MX / MX Global Network |
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